Petersfield Cricket Club’s Ladies XI gained a crucial victory at Wessex Cricket Club in Bournemouth in a clash of the league’s two unbeaten sides.

Petersfield captain Izzy Russell won the toss and elected to field. The team welcomed back Heath Clarke and gave a debut to Anya Holtshausen.

Georgie Russell and Holly Haynes opened the bowling. Georgie struggled to find her length but Holly settled well (4-0-11-1), bowling consistent away swingers that troubled the Wessex openers.

It took six overs and 25 runs before Haynes clipped the off bail of Elsa Veit for nine. In the next over, Heather Clarke found the edge of the other opener, well caught by keeper Izzy Russell to leave Wessex 26 for two.

Heather and Millie Green also struggled to find their line, as 29 extras piled up, but the introduction of Holtshausen saw her clean bowl top scorer Anna Veit for 12.

Lily George (3.4-0-7-1) and Simone Hellyer (5-0-11-3) then swung the game back Petersfield's way, as both bowled with accuracy to remove the last four Wessex wickets for just seven runs, giving Petersfield a total of 78 to chase down.

Izzy and Georgie Russell opened the batting against Muppavarapu, one of the league's leading wicket takers. Izzy missed a straight one with the score on 12, which brought Lily George to the crease.

She and Georgie pushed hard without taking risks, with Lily hitting many twos on the large outfield. A quick run did for Lily, run out by a direct hit from Muppavarapu for a run-a-ball 38.

Heather Clarke then hit her first ball for four before toeing one up to Muppavarapu, then calming influence Georgie Russell hit the winning four with a cover drive. She remained unbeaten on 26 to give Petersfield the win by four wickets with ten overs to spare.