ROWLEDGE had a day to forget at Rowlands Avenue as they failed by five runs to overhaul Waterlooville’s modest 121 all out in the SPL Division Two.

Electing to bat, Waterlooville were soon on the back foot against some very accurate new-ball bowling from Jake Wish and Richard Forbes, the latter returning to the side after a season-long absence through injury.

The pair reduced the hosts to 4-2 and then 31-3 when Forbes dismissed opener Alex Smith for 24.

The change-bowlers also made the most of the sticky track and Waterlooville dipped to 74-8 before number 10 Tom Greene rallied his side with a crucial 24 not out.

The last two wickets contributed 47 runs and Waterlooville batted into the last over for what seemed a barely respectable total. Wish finished with 3-27, while Forbes and the metronomic Ollie Baker between them yielded just 31 runs in 18 overs.

Back-to-back wins for Rowledge seemed a formality, but their innings was to mirror what had gone before on the difficult track. Archie Reynolds dismissed Jake Wish and overseas player Fraser Wilson for ducks (4-2) and when Ashan Silva bowled Nick Morant for 19, the visitors were 43-3.

Waves of self-doubt swept through the middle order and with runs becoming harder to get, only David Lloyd looked anything like comfortable on what was now a minefield.

Lloyd went for 27 – one of five victims for Silva who finished with 5-17 in 10 overs – and at 76-8, Rowledge were a long way from the meagre total. However, a dogged last-wicket stand between skipper Ben Wish and Forbes chipped away at the deficit.

Rowledge were just four runs behind with nine balls remaining when Wish was adjudged leg before to Smith.

Rowledge host Basingstoke 2nd XI this Saturday.