The Second XI made the twenty-minute hop over the Hangars to pay a visit to table-topping Ropley, with a stronger side this week that hoped to cause an upset. With minimal pre-match incident to report, returning Petersfield Captain Tom Horwood joined his opposite number in the middle and did the necessary in correctly calling ‘Tails’ and electing to have a bowl first – a decision necessitated by Frank Straw needing to leave early to patrol the mean streets of Surrey later in the evening. (Tosswatch: that’s 4 wins from 7 for Horwood, making him a slightly better than average tosser…).

Petersfield’s opening bowlers Steve Gibson (2-19) and Nathan Barlow (1-38) started well, keeping the organized Tom Rait (19) and the more expansive Juher Shaikh reasonably quiet in the opening exchanges. Shaikh did then hit a couple of lusty blows before trying one too many and being caught off Gibson, skying one up into the sun and being well held by Horwood at mid-off. Gibson then immediately had a second, removing Spencer Carey (0) with him being caught behind first ball, with James Longland taking a regulation catch behind the stumps. That was the end of the fun for the time being, with Gibson not able to complete his hattrick. With six overs from each end completed, Petersfield mixed it up a little, with Olly Heapy (0-20) replacing Gibson and the ‘spin’ of Frank Straw (4-24) replacing Barlow. Straw was quickly in the action, having Rait caught at extra cover by Suraj Sashidharan (in spite of the fielder claiming to be distracted by a butterfly!). Straw then soon ruined a nice family outing, bowling the father, Tom Stroud (23) and then the son, Josh Stroud (8) in short succession. After a decent spell from Heapy, Tom Horwood (3-25) brought himself into the attack – things didn’t go to plan initially, with eighteen runs coming from his first over, but once he settled into a rhythm he and Straw started to really turn the screw on the Ropley middle order. First, Horwood bowled Fred Coles passed his outside edge, and then had the dangerous De Wet Kruger caught at midwicket (Jacob Clay taking the simplest of catches). Straw then had James Wren caught in the unorthodox position of short third man by Ned Kelly to complete his strong outing with the ball in. There was time for Horwood also to take one more, with Chuck Carey (8) being caught at short third man by Straw, before Nathan Barlow returned to attack and had Freddie Wilson (6) caught at, you guessed it, short third man by Kelly once more. Regrettably, short third man for the Ropley tail was not the only trap of the day – more on that later… Ropley all out for 151, with Petersfield the happier side going into Tea.

With a promise of a Tea back at ours later in the season (little do they know what a treat they are in for, with the much anticipated Barlow buffet scheduled that week!), the Second XI were treated to a fine array of sandwiches and other treats as just reward for job well done in the field…

Petersfield captain Tom Horwood (20) and stand in opener Frank Straw (5), deputising due to his need for a quick getaway, strode out to the middle to face the pacey pair of Freddie Wilson (0-23) and Josh Stroud (1-16). Horwood initially had the measure of Wilson, enjoying the rare additional pace to hit a succession of boundaries that caused a change in the attack early, with Spencer Carey (4-22) replacing him. The fun was short-lived however… Firstly, Straw was bowled off his pad by Stroud, with Horwood following not long after, undone by a back of a length leg-spinning delivery from Carey – something that would prove to be the second and more effective trap of the day… Steve Gibson (16) and Chris Driver (15) set about a rebuild, but Carey’s shorter-pitched balls fast began to rattle the Petersfield middle order… Gibson short-armed one straight to midwicket, with Driver falling just 17 runs later to a similar delivery, this time top edged to deep midwicket where the bucket hands of De Wet Kruger made no mistake. James Longland (18) started positively and played some eye-catching slashes through the point area, before he became the Carey’s fourth and final victim and latest member of Petersfield’s top five to misjudge a shorter ball, somehow finding the fielder at cover with an attempted pull shot. This left Ned Kelly (16) and Suraj Sashidharan (1) to attempt a rebuild with the score at 86-5… Sadly, Sashidharan was caught and bowled by James Wren (1-24), and when Kelly (who like Longland before him had landed a couple of lusty blows) was caught of De Wet Kruger (1-8), the writing appeared to be on the walls. Regrettably, unlike a win away at Portsmouth where the tail wagged hard to the Second XI home earlier in the season, the innings petered out with little more of a whimper from that point. Stuart Kidd (0), struggling with a sore hand, struggled to get going and was bowled by Fred Coles (2-9) for a fourteen ball duck, and Olly Heapy was then caught first ball at mid-on give Coles two-in-two, the curtain closed on a disappointing chase for the visitors (Petersfield ending all out, nine down due to Jacob Clay not batting and retiring out).

So, the good Ropley side showed their strength with ball in hand, winning by a comfortable margin of 42 runs. Petersfield can be proud of their efforts with the ball and in field, but plenty to do in terms of constructing a score with bat in hand to be in better positions to get back into winning ways… The Second XI will visit Bentworth next week, aiming for an inflexion point in the midway of the season to start recording some wins again. Before then, short ball practice please…