SPL Division One cricket: Time is running out as New Milton lose again

SPL Division One

New Milton CC 77

Portsmouth CC 78-1

New Milton remain relegation favourites with three games left after slipping to a heavy nine-wicket loss to fourth-placed Portsmouth.

The New Forest side has been rooted to the foot of the table all season after only winning one game, and they now find themselves 4.66 points adrift of Hambledon.

The Fernhill Sports Ground hosts were in trouble early on, with opener James Adams (8) bowled by Fraser Hay (3-23) with 21 runs on the board.

Ben Griffiths (15) and Lee Beck (20) were the main hopes for New Milton, but no other batsmen managed to score more than eight runs.

Reuben McArdle was Portsmouth’s star man down the final stretch, capturing New Milton’s last four wickets while finishing with figures of 5-18.

With a paltry 77 runs to chase, the visitors aggressively attacked the bowling, which allowed New Milton captain George Watts to capture his side’s only wicket of the match when he caught Jack Martson (1) LBW with the third ball he faced.

However, opener Daniel Wimble gave a much sterner test, marching to an unbeaten 59 runs off 56 balls, which included five fours and four sixes.

Together with Joseph Kooner-Evans (9 not out), they quickly surpassed New Milton’s total with nine wickets left and only 14.2 overs batted.

New Milton will be desperate to win when they host the side three places higher than them in the league, Rowledge, on Saturday at 12.30pm.