SPL Division One cricket: New Milton slip to fifth straight loss

SPL Division One

New Milton CC 197

Portsmouth CC 200-2

NEW Milton cricket club’s woeful start to the season continued with a fifth loss after an eight-wicket defeat to ruthless Portsmouth.

Despite a slow start to their innings New Milton finished with a respectable 197 after the one-man heroics of Ed Bartlett, who hit 83 off 96 balls.

However, when it was Portsmouth's turn, only Bartlett (1-35) and Joe Hall (1-25) found success, with Dan Wimble's undefeated century securing victory.

After choosing to bat first New Milton quickly lost both openers with little to show for it, with James Adams (2) and Joseph Wooster (1) both caught off by Fraser Hay (3-39).

Ben Griffiths added a valuable 22, but at 40-4, New Milton lost. However, captain George Watts (31) and Bartlett dug in, stubbornly defending the fifth wicket while adding an impressive 85 runs.

Ed Wooster (13) and Hall (22 not out) helped to keep the scoreboard ticking over, and the innings closed at 197.

New Milton made a decent start with the ball, and after Jack Marston retired not out after scoring 22 runs, Milton reduced Portsmouth to 62-2 after Bartlett caught James Christian LBW for a duck and keeper Dan Cook stumped Hay (10).

However, it was all downhill from there, with Wimble smashing a highly aggressive undefeated 100 runs off just 55 balls. His tally included 16 fours and four sixes, and with opener Ben Duggan (57 not out), they saw their side across the line.