Hampshire League County 2
PORTSMOUTH vs HYTHE 1st XI
Saturday 17th July
FIRSTS BACK IN TROUBLE AFTER POOR BATTING SHOW
Matt HOWE - 58
Traffic problems in Pompey didn't help the First XI's preparations going into this game but another defeat leaves them periously close to the bottom 3 with 6 games to go. Hythe had to reshuffle their batting line up when with 10 minutes to the start only three players had beat the traffic congestion. They had no alternative but to bat first.
Hythe opened up with Rich Froggett and Simon Wright just as the rest of the party were arribing. The pair put on 29 for the first wicket before Froggett was caught & bowled for 12. Kev Jame spromoted to 3 made just 1 and with just 57 on the board - Hythe lost their 3rd wicket when Wright was caught for 24.
At drinks Hythe were crawling to 68 for 3 and when de Jager fell for just 12 Hythe were 98 for 4 off 29 overs. Matt Howe looked in decent nick and passed fifty. He was next to fall when on 58 he was caught off the returning Cannington. From 120 for 5 Hythe folded in 9 overs to 144 all out.
Needing a positive response in the field Froggett's first over went for 11 but in his 3rd he did get the breakthough when he had Vikram caught behind by Kev James for 9. 27 for 1 off 5. De Jager was bowling at his best and his fist 4 overs went for Just 5 runs. In the 10th over he had Howarth LBW for 4. and the following over Moon caught behind for 0. Portsmouth 40 for 3 - de Jager 2 for 5 off 6.
Saunders replaced Froggett and Smith de Jager. Saunders returning the the 1st XI got another breakthrough when he had Smitherman well stumped by Kev James 0. 45 for 4 off 15 and Hythe were back in this game. Whitecross though had other ideas and looked in total control. 86 for 4 at drinks and just after it became 99 for 5 when Scott was caught be de Jager off Ben Smith for 27.
A 30 run partnership between Scott and Whitecross put Portsmouth back in the driving seat before de Jager returned to bowl Whitecross for 62. At 138 de Jager picked up his 4th wicket when Porter caught Cunnington for 8. Matt Howe made for a close finish when he bowled A. Marston for 5 at 144 for 8 but the other Marston - J- saw Portsmouth through to their third win of the season and climb just below Hythe.
To prove what a strange game cricket is - Wrighty last week 7-37 this week 0-28 off 3.
Innings of : HYTHE 144 All Out (41.1 Overs)
| Batsman | How Out | Bowler | Runs |
| 1. S.Wright | Bowled | Marston jnr | 24 |
| 2. R.Froggett | Ct & Bd | Cannington | 12 |
| 3. +K.James | Caught | Marston snr | 1 |
| 4. *M.Howe | Caught | Cannington | 58 |
| 5. A. de Jager | Caught | Cannington | 12 |
| 6. S.Tongs | Caught | A.Marston | 10 |
| 7. R.James | Caught | A.Marston | 9 |
| 8. T.Porter | Bowled | Marston snr | 2 |
| 9. B.Smith | Bowled | Marston jnr | 1 |
| 10. R.Saunders | Caught | A.Marston | 3 |
| 11. P.Quinnell | Not | Out | 0 |
| Extras - 12 | TOTAL | 144 All | Out |
Portsmouth Bowling
| Bowler | Ov | Mn | Runs | Wkts |
| Bailey | 4 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Cannington | 10 | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| Marston jnr | 6.1 | 1 | 17 | 3 |
| Marston snr | 10 | 1 | 33 | 1 |
| Vikram | 4 | 2 | 13 | 0 |
| A.Marston | 7 | 0 | 22 | 3 |
Innings of : PORTSMOTUH 148 For 8 (35.5 Overs)
| Batsman | How Out | Bowler | Runs |
| 1. Vikram | Ct. K.James | Froggett | 9 |
| 2. Whitecross | Bowled | De Jager | 62 |
| 3. Howarth | L.B.W | De Jager | 4 |
| 4. Moon | Ct. K.James | De Jager | 0 |
| 5. Smitherman | St. K.James | Saunders | 0 |
| 6. Scott | Ct. de Jager | B.Smith | 27 |
| 7. J.Marston | Not | Out | 20 |
| 8. Cunnington | Ct. Porter | De Jager | 6 |
| 9. A.Marston | Bowled | Howe | 5 |
| 10. Bailey | Not | Out | 0 |
| 11. S.Martson | |||
| Extras - 14 | TOTAL | 148 For | 8 |
Hythe Bowling
| Bowler | Ov | Mn | Runs | Wkts |
| A.de Jager | 10 | 4 | 22 | 4 |
| R.Froggett | 5 | 1 | 28 | 1 |
| R.Saunders | 6.5 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| B.Smith | 7 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
| S.Wright | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| M.Howe | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 |