HEAVY rain thwarted St Cross Symondians' bid to get their ECB Southern Premier League title defence back on track.

After back-to-back defeats by Bournemouth and Burridge, Symondians' ideally needed to beat the Hampshire Academy.

But an already shortened 45-over red ball match on the Ageas Bowl nursery ground - it was scheduled to be an all-day 'time pennant' affair - was abandoned 12 overs into the second session.

St Cross, who face an intriguing visit to the Green Jackets ground from Lymington on Saturday (11am), were 58-2 when stumps were pulled.

The Hampshire Academy earlier posted 219-9 having lost Winchester teens Wilfred La Fontaine Jackson and Dom Kelly cheaply, both caught behind by Ed Ellis off Mark Haworth (2-24).

READ MORE: Young Hampshire athletes selected for Commonwealth Youth Games

Opener Tommy Cheater (47) and Joe Eckland (44) bedded the Academy innings down before middle-order trio Jude Wright (44), Andover's Sam Ashman (26) and Eddie Jack (25) ushered the total to 219-9.

Left-arm spinner Charlie Gwynn [pictured] wheeled away for St Cross taking 4-53 and his season's tally to 24 victims.

St Cross seconds suffered a 27-run defeat against basement Division 2 club Liphook & Ripsley, rain again dictating proceedings.

Darryl Clarke took 3-36 as Liphook scored 192. Set 153 to win off 33 overs, St Cross closed 125-7, with Mark Haworth (29) and Charlie Harden (26) top scoring.