Alton fell four balls short of holding on for a draw against Southern Premier Cricket League Premier Division leaders St Cross Symondians at the Jubilee Playing Fields on Saturday before eventually succumbing to an agonising 77-run defeat.
The match saw last year’s Division One champions entertain the reigning Premier Division champions.
Michael Salmon returned to first-team action and took the new ball with Bash Walters.
An early caught and bowled chance went begging when St Cross opener Joseph Lewis pushed the ball straight back to Salmon, who was unable to grasp the opportunity.
Tom Andrews replaced Walters and the pair combined to give Alton their breakthrough – a smart catch by Walters diving low to his left removed Jack Bransgrove for 31. St Cross were 58 for one.
Alton introduced the left-arm spin of Tom South into the attack. On a dry surface the pitch provided the young Alton left-armer with some assistance. He beat the advancing Harry Trussler and Mark Heffernan completed the stumping to give Alton their second wicket. Lewis went past 50 but was immediately removed by South for 51 – Walters took the catch.
Charlie Mumford and skipper Charlie Gwynn took the score to 190, before Mumford was caught behind off the off spin of Daniel Sumner for 57.
The reintroduction of South (four for 72) into the attack gave Alton two more wickets and the visitors were 227 for six.
Gwynn was joined by Simon Beetham as the visitors looked to enhance their position.
Andrews (two for 37) dismissed Gwynn for a well-made 67 off 104 balls, with Mark Heffernan completing his third dismissal behind the stumps.
Beetham continued to attack in the closing overs and he made 35 off 26 balls as St Crossed declared on 291 for seven off 63.5 overs.
After a hot stint in the field Alton were hoping to make it through to tea unscathed.
However, South was bowled by Australian Sam Beer for just one, and Howard Gadsby, despite a flurry of boundaries, was trapped leg before wicket for 19 by the same bowler.
The first ball after tea somehow found its way – after multiple deflections – on to the stumps of Daniel Harris as he was bowled for 14. When Scott Myers was caught for five off Gwynn, Alton were in trouble at 57 for four.
Young Sam Ruffell looked in good touch, striking five boundaries in his 24 before his innings was cut short. Gwynn beat his outside edge, Mumford took the bails off and Ruffell was adjudged to have left his ground.
Gwynn then trapped Mark Heffernan in front to leave Alton in trouble at 82 for six.
Andrews joined Michael Heffernan as the pair set about trying to rebuild and find a way back into the game for the Brewers. They managed to frustrate St Cross as the overs began to tick down.
Beer returned with no success, and a brief spell from Bransgrove failed to make the breakthrough.
Michael Heffernan had been watchful all afternoon but it was Harry Foyle who made the breakthrough.
Foyle got the ball to nip back and trapped Heffernan leg before wicket for 41 to leave Alton on 171 for seven.
Andrews’ counter punch then came to an end eight runs later as Gwynn (five for 44) completed his five-for.
Andrews had made a fine 47 off 57 balls, but Alton were in real trouble at 179 for eight.
Alton had 11 overs to survive to hold on for the losing draw.
The overs ticked down, but when Sumner was caught behind off Foyle Alton were staring at defeat.
Salmon joined Walters and the pair negotiated anything that was thrown at them.
It was not all defence, though, as the pair struck five boundaries between them as Alton moved past 200.
Nerves were shredded as Alton’s players watched on – and when the match moved into its 121st over Alton had just six balls to survive for a hard-fought losing draw.
It was not meant to be, though, as in the second ball of the final over Beer and St Cross got their man. Walters chipped the ball up and Foyle completed the catch.
Alton were all out for 214 with just four balls remaining.
St Cross were understandable jubilant, while the Brewers were left deflated after what had been a good fightback.