Overton v Whitchurch.

Whitchurch only had a short distance to travel to Overton for their opening County 3 North game, however they returned defeated by the smallest of margins.

After losing a toss both captains were desperate to win, Tom Trinder's Whitchurch side were put into bat and immediately found runs hard to come by.

Ollie Williams was unlucky to be run out without scoring and was shortly followed on his debut by James Bevan, who was trapped LBW for 19.

With the veteran Richard Osmond joining Trinder at the crease, 'Church rebuilt and Osmond brought up his 50 with a six onto the Kingsclere Road, however a regular batting partner was hard to find. With the lower order chipping in, Osmond brought up his century with another boundary, and 'Church finished on an above par 195-8, with Osmond 104 not out.

Whitchurch set about restricting the home side and Bevan made the breakthrough with his first ball in the Hampshire League. Regular wickets fell, as the visitors were lead by Jim Hayward (3-27) and soon had the home side on the ropes. However a ninth wicket stand of 75 brought the home side back into the game, but it took until the penultimate ball for home skipper Andy Galvin to break 'Church hearts with the winning runs.

Whitchurch hope to bounce back, as Redlynch are the visitors to Parsonage Meadow this weekend.