Petersfield Cricket Club’s second team crashed to a comprehensive eight-wicket defeat at home to Compton in Division Five South East of the Hampshire Cricket League on Saturday afternoon.

Petersfield returned to the Heath hoping to keep up their good form after their win against Fareham and Crofton in their previous game.

On a sweltering day in Petersfield, Compton lost the toss and the hosts elected to bat first.

Petersfield had a new opening partnership as skipper Steve Gibson opened with Dave Squires.

In the second over of the day Gibson got an unplayable delivery from Ryan Dawtrey (three for 26) which kept low and hit middle stump.

Jake Hastie was next in, but having recovered from a thigh strain he was given a torrid time by Compton skipper James Turner (three for 18) – who induced an edge from Hastie which landed just in front of first slip.

Hastie then edged past the keeper for four before losing his off stump to a delivery angling in from outside off stump to leave Petersfield on nine for two.

That became nine for three as Tom Stratford-Tuke was bowled by a similar delivery first ball which just clipped off stump.

Squires, who had watched the carnage at the other end, looked more comfortable playing late cuts for singles while the new batter Rich Stephens (53) took the attack to the Compton bowlers.

The score had moved on to 34 when Squires played his favourite shot but had not spotted first slip had moved to gully and only succeeded in picking out Turner – who took a very good low catch.

Stephens continued to look untroubled as he hit five fours and one six and had added 15 runs with James Stratford-Tuke (five) before he too was bowled by Turner.

David Longland and Archie Maclean (one) went in quick succession as Petersfied’s batters struggled with the Compton line and length bowling and were 58 for seven at drinks.

Suraj Sashidharan (11) gave Stephens the support he needed at the other end, and the pair put on 26 for the eighth wicket before Sashidharan gave a return catch to spinner Liam Dawtrey (three for 24).

Fifteen-year-old Oscar Walker (six not out) was next in and faced 26 balls – which included one superb on-drive – as the lower order hung around with Stephens to enable him to get to his half-century with a lovely cover drive.

Stephens was then adjudged leg before wicket to Liam Dawtrey to leave Petersfield on 97 for nine.

Rich Lack lasted six balls before he was given out leg before wicket in the 29th over with the score on 103.

Compton started their reply well with Alec Wallsgrove (24 not out) and Liam Dawtrey (seven) putting on 29 for the first wicket before Gibson (one for 26) induced an edge to Hastie who took a very good one-handed catch at first slip.

Jay Ashvin (25) joined Wallsgrove in the middle and scored quickly with five fours in his run-a-ball knock before he lifted Walker to mid-off where Tom Stratford-Tuke took a comfortable catch. The score was 54 for two at this point.

Turner (39 not out) came out and snuffed out any chance of a Petersfield bowling comeback as he hit three sixes and four fours off 17 balls to give Compton the win inside 18 overs.

After last week’s superb run chase Petersfield could not reach those heights on a pitch that surprisingly was wet under the surface at one end.

Compton had arguably the better of the conditions but took their chances when they were presented and outplayed a slightly understrength Petersfield side.

Petersfield will hope to bounce back when they travel to Havant’s third team on Saturday afternoon.