A superb 150-run partnership set up a very impressive run chase by Petersfield’s second team as they won by six wickets at Fareham and Crofton’s third team in Division Five South East of the Hampshire Cricket League.

Petersfield travelled down the A3 and M27 to visit Fareham and Crofton on a sunny but windy day at Bath Lane.

Visiting skipper Steve Gibson called wrongly at the toss, and Fareham decided to have a bat.

Fareham openers Nigel Raymond (eight) and Adrian Chesney (51) showed good intent on a grassy, bouncy wicket before Raymond skied an on-drive to Archie Maclean at long-off, and despite the swirling wind he took a good catch.

Young Robbie Barnwell (52) joined Chesney and the pair put on 73 for the second wicket, going at five an over before Chesney was bowled by Archie Maclean (one for 37) to leave Fareham on 94 for two.

With the wickets falling the run rate slowed somewhat and the pressure being exerted by Rich Stephens (three for 39) and Maclean brought about the wicket of Jim Lee (four).

He was quickly followed by Barnwell, who was clean bowled by Stephens.

At this point Petersfield fancied their chances of restricting Fareham to under 200 on a good batting track, but Rob Cooper (43 not out) and Simon Gough (23) had other ideas and they put on 28 for the fifth wicket at a run a ball before Gough was trapped leg before wicket by Stephens.

Martin Greenwood came and went as opening bowler Oscar Walker (two for 35) returned to bowl him.

Walker removed Timothy Dix (four) and skipper Gibson (two for 33) removed Sam Harrington for a golden duck as he chipped a ball to mid-wicket, where Stephens took a simple catch to leave Fareham on 198 for eight.

Young Joe Eades (11 not out) hit some lusty blows with Cooper as Fareham scored 214 for eight off their 40 overs.

That was quite an imposing target for a side not renowned for chasing big totals, and Petersfield were forced to change their batting order as keeper James Longland felt tired and bruised after the first innings and dropped down to four.

Bharat Katta (four), who scored a century in the previous away fixture, joined Dave Squires (13) to start the pursuit of the large target.

Opening bowlers Greenwood (one for ten) and Harrington (one for 34) kept things tight, and both the Petersfield openers looked solid if not spectacular against some good, tight bowling.

In the fifth over Katta went for a drive but was superbly caught by Harrington in his follow through.

Squires followed him to the pavilion in the tenth over as Greenwood clean bowled him with the score on 26.

Gibson (65 not out) was joined at the crease by keeper Longland (87) and the pair blunted the Fareham attack before moving through the gears to put the pressure back on to the Fareham bowlers.

Opener Harrington was extracting a lot of bounce from the wicket, with Gibson getting a couple which reared off a length past his helmet.

After the opening salvo, first-change bowlers Lee and Chris Reynolds were not as accurate and Gibson and Longland put away good and bad balls as the run rate climbed towards seven an over.

Longland in particular enjoyed the extra bounce and he hit 18 fours in his superbly-made 87. It was his highest score, and in the process he went past 1,000 league runs.

Longland was caught on the boundary with the score on 176 after a superb 150-run partnership with Gibson for the third wicket.

There were seven overs left when Stephens (ten) joined Gibson, and he hit a couple of big blows in partnership with Gibson before holing out to Fareham skipper Gough at deep mid-wicket with the score on 197 for four.

With three overs left young Fergus Maclean (16 not out) came in and had a look at Fareham skipper Gough (one for 22) for one ball before being hitting him for a six and a four off the next two balls.

This took the pressure off Gibson and Petersfield completely, and in the 38th over Gibson knocked the ball past mid-on to seal the win for the away side.

Despite not feeling well for most of his innings, skipper Gibson had produced a superb match-winning innings for Petersfield.

His 150-run partnership with Longland had set up the run chase superbly for the away side.