Petersfield’s first team beat Rowledge’s second team by four wickets in Division Two of the Hampshire Cricket League.

Saturday signalled the start of the cricket season for all the men's teams at Petersfield. The first team welcomed Rowledge to the Heath with glorious weather and a decent pitch.

Petersfield skipper Henry Shore won the toss and decided to bowl first. This reaped immediate rewards with an early wicket for Oscar MacLean. However, the early season rustiness started to show with some wayward bowling and inconsistent line and length. Rowledge managed to capitalise and were 124 for two at 20 overs. The introduction of Ben Anscombe and Lucas Latham started to turn the game with good bowling, and the pair picked up two wickets apiece. Latham settled in well and made it hard to score, building pressure at a key point in the innings. Chris Russell entered the attack and immediately began to create chances. Rowledge’s scoring slowed, and Petersfield took advantage with good catching and sharp fielding. Joe Clarke took a superb catch at long-off to get rid of Sam Marshall and Rowledge finished on 224 all out.

Shore got Petersfield’s reply off to a solid start and looked in good touch before he was bowled for 18. Anscombe was then bowled for one. David Marshall and James Walton steadied the ship and hit away any loose deliveries and upped the run rate to put Petersfield well ahead of the chase. When Walton departed for 60 Petersfield needed 100 off 25 overs. Latham joined Marshall and the pair put on 50 for the fourth wicket and kept ticking the runs off. Latham and Ben Smith batted sensibly to get the team close and Clarke came in at the end and hit a quickfire 16 not out to see Petersfield home.