Burridge scraped the narrowest of Southern Electric Premier League Two victories in a relegation battle with Portsmouth at The Ridge last weekend – winning the basement battle by just one run.
With both clubs hanging on to their Division Two status by their fingernails neither side could afford to lose this crunch clash so close to the end of the season.
Heavy rain just before the start meant the game was restricted to 48 over for each side – and no change in luck for Burridge when they lost the toss yet again and were asked to bat.
The Portsmouth bowling attack caused Burridge no end of problems – and the visitors were delighted to remove their nemesis Derek Kenway for just 32.
Thanks to some late belligerent batting from skipper Rick Ankers and youngsters Ben Lane and Jamie Rood Burridge reached a respectable total of 196.
Brilliant sunshine greeted the start of the Portsmouth innings. Nick McMurray was his usual miserly self, giving just 23 runs away in his 10 overs, but also grabbing two wickets in the process.
Portsmouth continued to chase down the total with apparent ease – always in control of the situation. In desperation Rick turned to young Sully White, who in a spectacular spell dismissed three batsmen for the addition of only eight runs.
But Portsmouth also had a couple of youngsters who could influence the game –wicketkeeper Jed Whitecross and teenager Tom Sambrook who put together a stand of 45, ending on the very last ball of the innings when Greg Thew clean bowled Whitecross for the one run win.
