Felix Organ hit 100 not out and shared an unbroken 155-run partnership with Jack Bransgrove as St Cross Symondians powered through to the last 32 of the ECB national club championships with an eight-wicket win over Potterne at the Green Jackets ground.
The 2024 West of England Premier League champions posted a competitive 246-8 off 40 overs, with classy Sri Lankan left-hander Manelker De Silva hitting an unbeaten 96. A staggering 150 runs came from boundaries.
Organ led from the front for St Cross, enjoying a productive stand with Dom Kelly (46) before launching his match winning partnership with Bransgrove, which carried the Winchester club home with five overs to spare.
It was quality batting all the way with Organ hitting 11 fours and two sixes. Bransgrove cleared the boundary rope four times in addition to hitting seven fours in his 75 not out.
Beating Potterne put the icing on the cake for St Cross Symondians, who skittled Southern Premier League rivals Portsmouth for 77 before coasting to a seven-wicket win at the Green Jackets, he previous day.
Portsmouth were bowled out for 92 in 22 overs when they visited the GJG in August 2025. This time they lasted 24 overs !
Half the Portsmouth side was back in the pavilion by the start of the seventh over - Bryon Langley (3-18), who has joined from Putney and Australian left-armer Max Keogh (3-12) reducing the Southsea visitors to 18-5.
Dan Wimble (18) and Wittering-based Sam Caddy (22) dug in to improve Portsmouth's situation but the last four wickets fell for ten runs, two of them to the left-arm spin of Charlie Gwynn (2-14).
St Cross lost three wickets in polishing off the target, Bransgrove scoring 29 not out and Dom Kelly 25. The match was over by 1.45pm. So much for earlier 11 o'clock starts ....