After the rain-induced hiatus last week, which saw Petersfield’s cricketers having a glimpse at what the
Saturdays of the long winter months to come have in store, Petersfield’s Second XI played host to Rowner at
the Heath in the last league game of the season – the hosts looking to follow up from the emphatic win a
fortnight prior against Purbrook.

A relaxed feel to the start of proceedings, with various visiting players struggling to find the Heath and home
team captain Steve Gibson giving them leeway for them to arrive before starting the game. The delay in
proceedings not preventing Gibson and his opposite number having the longest of pre-toss conversations one
could imagine – clearly enjoying each other’s company in the middle. A couple of shots of “get a room!” and
“I’ve got work tomorrow!” shouts from the sidelines later, the toss was eventually conducted… An incorrect
call from the visitors meant a choice for Gibson, with his decision being to have a bowl first. (Tosswatch: the
season concludes with honours even – fourteen tosses, seven wins and seven losses. A lesson from this
season, kids – the toss of a coin really is a 50:50 chance!).

Having been asked to bat first, Rowner openers Harry Cox (6) and Cris Kemp (14) made their way to the middle
to face up to Petersield opening bowlers Steve Gibson (2-21) and Adam Kidd (0-13) – as has been the case of
late, the Petersfield pacemen(!) had the better of the opening exchanges, both Kidd and Gibson bowling tidily
and making the batters work hard for their runs. Gibson got the early breakthrough, removing Cox with a thin
nick through to the Petersifeld wicketkeeper James Longland. Kidd at the other end was bowling very tidily,
using with renamed ‘Adam Kidd Ridge’ to good effect, but for scant reward with edges going to hand but not
being held. A change in bowling attack reaped almost instant dividends, with Georgie Russell removing Kemp
clean bowled (attempting to pull a delivery that was a little too full in length). Rowner’s captain Lewis Haines
(61) set about steadying the ship alongside Lee Phillips (16), but the latter was also soon removed by the
rampant Russell, caught by Stuart Kidd in the ring. Olaf Swanzy was operating at the other end, keeping Haines
honest. It wasn’t long before Gibson turned to his spin twins of Rich Stephens (1-22) and Tom Horwood (2-31).
Stephens went straight to work, removing J Pannell (0) without troubling the scorers. The two spinners almost
combined for a wicket, with a Horwood quicker ball finding the outside edge of Haines, but then finding only
the gut of Stephens at slip (fair to say Stephens didn’t pick up the ‘quicker call signal’). A good battled ensued
between bat and ball for the next few overs, but Horwood took two wickets as reward for his efforts… First
removing Craig Payne (6), caught in the deep on the second attempt by Ned Kelly, and then removing Quenten
Van Eeden (11) in identical fashion – Ned Kelly once more palming the ball in the air, beach volleyball style, to
then claim the ball one handed on its way back down again (Olypmic trials for the Beach Volleyball are not for
another three years, Ned!). Petersfield sniffed an early tea with this latest breakthrough, with that whiff of
maximum bowling points all the stronger with Georgie Russell’s throwing arm getting the better of Haines to
run him out with an excellent direct hit. Alas, M Smart (33) had other ideas, offered up big-swinging resistance
– dealing some lusty blows off Jake Dalton (0-25) and looking to knock the returning Gibson into gaps, before
eventually falling to a well-disguised Gibson slower ball off the last ball of the innings, leaving James Osbourne
1 not out at the end other end. Rowner restricted to 158-8 from their allotted overs.

This brought about tea – a fine spread once more provided by the Stephens clan, with the chicken with bacon
sandwiches and lemon drizzle cake proving firm favorites. Petersfield the happier at the interval, looking ahead
to chasing a total which equated to just under four runs per over – but what would the chase entail…

A shock at the top of the order for Petersfield – the first time in a while that the Second XI have had the same
opening pair two matches in a row. Tom Horwood (70) and Jake Hastie (25) strode to the middle to begin
proceedings, up against Rowner’s opening duo of B Pannel (0-31) and Quinten Van Eeden (0-30). It was
Petersfield who had the better of the opening exchanges – despite some late swing and seam movement from
both ends – with Horwood in particular (riding his luck early doors) taking a liking to the idea of knocking the

total off with a minimum of fuss. The field was spread early to attempt to contain Horwood’s onslaught, but
once set he looked untroubled, timing the ball cleanly and helping the Petersfield pair to score in excess of a
run a ball. A change in the bowling attack, Lee Phillips (1-25) and the sharp Matt Stancliffe (0-29) coming on at
the ten-over mark, bore no fruits for Rowner with Stancliffe’s extra pace just seeing the ball go to the
boundary that bit faster… Horwood hit two straight sixes in short succession, the second of which being a
glorious lofted straight drive over long-off to bring up his Half-Century from just 41 balls. Horwood took only
another nine deliveries to make it to 70, before eventually succumbing to his attacking instincts and being
bowled by Lee Phillips (attempting to hit the ball out of the Heath) to end an entertaining knock just shy of a
Century opening partnership, continuing his recent fine form. With the back of the chase broken, it was down
to Hastie and Ned Kelly (16) to progress towards the total… Hastie fell shortly after, however, nicking off to
Craig Payne (2-38) when he first came into the attack. It wasn’t long before Payne had a second, with Kelly
being dismissed in almost identical fashion to Hastie. Fears that a sudden collapse might make things more
challenging were, thankfully, short-lived with James Longland (29 not out) and Rich Stephens (6 not out)
looking assured at the crease – this, despite the overcast skies making for a gloomy backdrop for the batters to
content with. The Rowner attack did pressurise the Petersfield pair, until near the end when a few full tosses
were dispatched with ease and glee by Longland to see the home team, well, home with almost thirteen overs
to spare. Petersfield win by seven wickets.

So, a resounding victory for the Second XI to round off a season that strengthened towards the end to result in
comfortable mid-table mediocrity, set up by an all-round bowling performance across the attack, and a
comfortable chase led by the in-form Horwood. That, however, is that it for 2024’s league season folks – a
season played in great spirits throughout that ultimately saw Petersfield’s Second XI achieve a solid twelfth
place in the table, with good performances both as a team and individuals through the season. Plenty of
positives to take into the winter, and plenty to work on looking ahead to 2025 (in particular some of our
fielding…!) to give us optimism of coming back bigger, better and stronger. Until next year… Let’s see what a
restructured Division Five looks like…