ROWLEDGE put their recent indifferent form behind them and beat Portsmouth – second in the Southern Premier League Division One – by 24 runs at St Helen’s Field.

The hard-earned win rewarded Rowledge’s team spirit and was a timely morale-booster ahead of this Saturday’s home fixture against Liphook & Ripsley.

Ben Wish chose to bat first and the jury was out on that decision while Rowledge were struggling for runs against disciplined new-ball bowling by Portsmouth, with Fraser Hay and Vikram Dawson particularly impressive.

Jamie Teale went early and Sushant Balajee and David Lloyd were both leg before to Dawson. And when Sam Moseley was caught behind off a good delivery from Reuben McArdle, Rowledge were 52-4 and it looked like being a similar story to the week before.

However, the pitch was not easy to score on and was already offering turn.

Joe Randall and Ian Metcalfe got the innings back up and running. Randall, particularly impressive off his legs, made a patient 39 and the pair had added a vital 61 runs when he was bowled by Hay two balls after the second drinks break.

Metcalfe continued to nudge and nurdle the ball into gaps, working very hard for his 46 runs.

Chris Board fell lbw to the spin of Jack Marston and after a sprightly 19 from Ben Wish, the tail folded quickly to Dawson who finished with 4-26. Metcalfe was last man out in the 49th over with the score on 169.

Rowledge were going to have to bowl extremely well in defence of a seemingly gettable total and they got off to a dream start, Richard Forbes and Jake Wish claiming the scalps of skipper Richard Locke and James Christian with only seven runs on the board.

Young Wish, bowling his best spell of the season, beat the bat on numerous occasions and was unlucky not to have further success.

He was, however, in on the action for the next two dismissals. Dangerman Fraser Hay smashed a Lloyd long-hop to Wish at mid-wicket and he then had an easier catch to dismiss Henry Farrant off George Keeley.

Left-arm spinner Keeley bowled another metronomic spell, but Marston anchored the Portsmouth innings and slowly accumulated runs.

Chaos then ensued as Marston was run out for 34 by keeper Wish in a complete mix-up with David Henderson.

Forbes returned to dismiss Matt Shaw and Portsmouth again shot themselves in the foot when Dawson was left at the wrong end and was run out by Balajee.

Henderson was still there, batting in unorthodox style as the home players lost trust in each other in their running between the wickets.

Lloyd returned to have Joe Kooner-Evans caught behind and there was still time for a third run-out as the calls of ‘Yes, No, Sorry’ proved the downfall of Ethan Randell.

With Portsmouth needing 24 from three overs, Board bowled Henderson for a lively 38 and the home side were all out for 145.