SOUTH Wilts dug out an improbable, but deserved draw at home to Portsmouth to halt the run of defeats, which have left them languishing in eighth place in the table.

The game, played under a beautiful blue sky for the first time since the away game at Portsmouth earlier in the season, was delayed due to the late arrival of several of the visiting players.

Home skipper Rob Wade allowed the opposition 15 minutes to get underway before Portsmouth skipper Sam Lavery won the toss and elected to bat.

The Salisbury side then produced just the sort of start they did not want as some wayward bowling gifted Portsmouth a flier.

Roger Fouhy removed Matt Scott, caught and bowled, but Seth Simmons and Sam Lavery got themselves well set.

With the scoreboard rattling along, Wade introduced himself to the attack and together with Adie Holewell did a good job in tying the Portsmouth batsmen down.

Wade bowled nine overs for 21 runs and Holewell 11 overs for 22, and both were unfortunate to finish wicketless.

Just before the lunch break, Lavery, 35, top-edged a James Hayward full toss and Wade took a fine high catch.

At lunch, Portsmouth had made 116-2 and South Wilts were pleased to have limited the damage following their loose start.

Fouhy returned to the attack after lunch and his change of ends paid immediate dividends as he had Simmons caught behind for a well-constructed 48.

The innings continued in strange vein as the Portsmouth batsmen changed their approach.

Although Pervez Aziz, 41, batted assuredly from one end, the other players came in and seemed content to play big shots rather than push the ball around the field.

It was an approach typified by Adeel Malik, 30, and it looked doomed to failure as wickets began to fall at regular intervals.

But the bold approach ultimately proved effective as some lusty blows from James Scott and Kamran Hafeez took the total to 239 all out in the 62nd over.

Fouhy finished with 6-86 from a marathon effort, while Eddie Abel, 3-75, bowled well until he came in for some late tap that rather spoiled his figures.

Wade admitted that at the half-way stage, he thought the Portsmouth score was a challenging one.

"We gifted them 40 runs at the beginning and they took 40 runs off us at the end - 239 would normally be acceptable, but there was quite a bit in the wicket if you bowled a good line and length, unsurprising really considering the rain we have had recently."

The hosts needed a good start, but did not get it as openers Tom Morton and Paul Draper both fell before the tea-break.

When Hayward and Abel fell in quick succession after the break to give Hafeez and Ahmed two wickets apiece, a familiar tale of batting woe looked in prospect.

However Andy Hayward and Wade recovered to build a potential match-winning partnership.

Batting was far from easy, particularly against the left-arm spin of former Pakistani test cricketer Shakeel Ahmed, but the two batsmen looked to be getting on top.

The drinks interval saw a change in tone though as the runs dried up. James Scott bowled a tidy spell from the Wilton Road end, while Ahmed's change of ends seemed to benefit the bowler greatly.

Scott nipped one through Hayward's defences when he was on 44, and then Ahmed removed Wade, 25, and Pittman, for a duck, as South Wilts plummeted to 111-7.

With 19 overs left, the possibility of a win had gone and Charlie Duffell and Robbie Nicholson set out to play for a draw.

Surrounded by enthusiastic close fielders and facing some quality spin bowling, the hope of a draw seemed a forlorn one, but to their credit Duffell and Nicholson handled it well and as the overs ticked by, the prospects improved.

It was the sort of gripping cricket that supporters of time cricket love; one side striving with all their might for a breakthrough, while the batsmen attempt to cling on.

With a handful of overs left, Ahmed, 4-38, was finally removed from the attack, a decision that was greeted with much relief on the sidelines.

A few overs later Duffell and Nicholson's fine effort was rewarded as the draw was indeed secured.

Wade commented afterwards that South Wilts could take many positives from the game.

"We've not been playing good cricket, that is plain for anyone to see - we are a side devoid of confidence, but we've stopped the rot today and there have been some much-improved personal performances.

"Portsmouth played well and did everything but win, but we showed great character to earn a creditable draw."

With Hursley Park suffering at the hands of in-form St Cross, South Wilts remain in eighth position.

Meanwhile Hampshire Academy, whom South Wilts visit on Saturday (1pm), suffered a heavy defeat against Havant, a result that probably leaves the title chase a two-horse race between Havant and leaders Totton & Eling.

9:50am Thursday 9th August 2007

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