After a weekend where most of the Atlantic Ocean was deposited on Hampshire the entire league programme being washed out as a result, Petersfield’s 2nd XI were back in competitive action with no flippers required this week with a trip up Bell Hill to renew rivalries with our neighbours to the North-East in Steep. Always a treat.

Despite rumours consistently being repeated that the deck was a bit of a road (dubious rumours after the overnight rain on an uncovered pitch…) Petersfield Captain Steve Gibson called correctly and elected to field first. Tosswatch: Steve is really excelling himself now, with four wins from six attempts – very much an early contender for “Tosser for the Year” at Awards Night come the autumn, or has he peaked too soon…

Pumped up and ready for a derby, a spirited and youthful 2nd XI took to the field in the hunt of early wickets. Captain Steve Gibson (1-20) and Adam ‘Jimmy Junior’ Kidd (2-10) opened up for the visitors, facing the experienced Steep openers of Sean Noble (14) and Graham Hughes (13). Honours relatively even for the first few overs, with the bowlers making the hosts work hard against the new ball – Kidd in particular getting good bounce and carry from his end. With the score moving on to 28 without loss, Steep might have hoped to have weathered the worst of the visitors’ assault – they were however, only in the eye of the storm… First, Kidd struck twice in short succession, removing both openers caught behind by young wicketkeeper Isaac Powerbank (who moved down low well to take one of them). It wasn’t long before Gibson joined the party, clean bowling Number Three Roscoe Page (2), leaving Steep now reeling at 31-3. Once Kidd’s age limitation came into effect, Nathan Barlow (3-35) joined the attack and swiftly removed Sam Hulme (0), who looking to get off the mark with a lusty blow only found Suraj Sashidharan (the only man in front of square on the leg side), who took an excellent catch just above his head (comically shaking his hand afterwards). An exciting moment in the game, Oliver Simpson (3-18) who had returned home for the weekend, was brought in with his extra pace causing issues for the Steep middle order. There was a risk of the hosts mounting a comeback, with Barlow leaking a few runs, including being hit for a monstrous hit for six by Chris Allcock (22) from a leg stump full toss. But the resulting enforced change of balls seemed to do the trick for Petersfield, as first Allcock fell to Barlow, and then Simpson really got going on finding a fuller length, removing first Charlie Forster (16), then Alex Hulme (5) and finally Sam Childs (0) who showed too many of stumps to be clean bowled, leaving the score at 86-9. A minor resistance was put up by Rich Atherton (11*), but young seamer Georgie Russell (0-5) and finger-spinner Fraser Anstey (1-7) saw the job home, Anstey successfully breaching the defences of George Childs (3), feeling the need to remind his host and friend where the pavilion is located – things you love to see in derby… Steep all out for 99 in 29.1 overs, with Petersfield pleased with a professional (well, as close as you get in Div 5…) performance before tea.

The tea break provided another opportunity for Fergus Maclean to complain about losing his packet of Doritos on the A3 en route to ground, with comedy ensuing when opener Tom Horwood realised he’d forgotten batting shorts and having to sheepishly ask his team mates if there were any he could wear (thank, Oli Simpson!). Dramas over and the players fed and watered, it was time to get going again…

With regular opener Jake Hastie missing this week, youngster Isaac Powerbank (2) put his hand up to open along with Tom Horwood (54*). Thoughts that it would be a straightforward chase were initially put on hold, as the Steep openers Alex Hulme (1-16) and Roscoe Page (0-21) made life difficult in the early stages, with Hulme in particular extracting good bounce from the pitch, swing from air and a decent pace for that level. Having applied himself resolutely, Powerbank was undone by good bouncer from Hulme, putting the ball straight up in the air to be simply caught by the hosts’ wicketkeeper Sean Noble. This bought the Dorito-less Fergus Maclean to the crease, who was dolly-dropped first ball off Hulme at cover, not with the pace of the pitch and mistimed a cut shot… Horwood and Maclean saw off the openers, Horwood beginning to expand a little with pull-shots and straight hits to put the visitors back ahead of the required rate. Maclean never really got going and was soon caught off the first change bowling of Charlie Forster (1-17). Horwood was joined by James Longland (31*), and the pair set about concluding the game in swift order, Longland in particular pouncing on anything short of length, with Tom Brown (0-27) brought into the attack but unable to stem the flow of runs. Attempting to mix it up, the spin of Rich Atherton (0-6) was brought into the attack, but Horwood brought up his Half Century (a third in the league this season in four innings) with a slog sweep off Atherton. From then on in, however, it was the Longland show… He struck three lusty sixes in short succession, including one to score the winning runs in style, ending with a strike rate in excess of 200.

So, Petersfield win the derby by 8 wickets, requiring just 19 overs to conclude the rout. A top performance all-round, with standout performances from Nathan Barlow, Ollie Simpson and Adam Kidd with the ball, before Tom Horwood and James Longland did the necessary to bring the win home – a win that takes Petersfield back to flirting with the promotion places in Division 5J.

A nice early finish meant the opportunity to the game giving the 2nd XI plenty of to heckle, I mean watch, the 1st XI’s victory back at Heath and enjoy a well-earned beverage in the sunshine. Next week, a return to Heath against Portsmouth 4th XI – a game Petersfield will be looking to win to bolster promotion-chasing credentials.