Havant have taken a giant step towards regaining the coveted ECB Southern Premier League championship.
Their trophy cabinet has laid bare since 2011 when South Wilts began their four-year silverware monopoly.
But all that is set to change after a comfortable five-wicket win over South Wilts made Havant firm favourites for the championship, writes Mike Vimpany.
Vice-captain Andy Gorvin described the win as “significant” but warned the title race could still easily go to the wire.
“We’ve got a 20-odd points lead going into the last four (games), but our last three are against Lymington, Hampshire Academy and then Burridge, so there’s a lot more for us to do yet,” he said.
South Wilts have been Havant’s nemesis in recent season’s – seldom have they beaten the Salisbury club in that time – but they well and truly removed the Indian Sign in the Havant Park sunshine.
They bowled South Wilts out for 149 and after a wobble, which saw four wickets fall for 19 runs, cruised to victory with 13 overs to spare.
South Wilts have batted indifferently for most of the summer and, after openers Jake Winter and Jack Mynott had gone cheaply, struggled to impose themselves on Havant’s spin friendly surface.
Teenager Ben Draper (19) helped South Wilts limp to 36-3, but only when James Hayward (26) and Joe Cranch (40) were at the crease did the four-time champions look as though they might post a competitive score.
Left-arm pair Thomas Vandslik (4-36) and Chris Morgan (3-25) took seven of the wickets as South Wilts just missed a second batting bonus point at 149 all out.
“It’s been the story of our season really – inconsistent batting,” sighed a disappointed SW captain James Hayward.
“It’s out of our hands now. All we can do now is try and win as many games as we can and see where that takes us.
“Our next two home games are against Burridge and Bashley (Rydal), so the run-in promises to be interesting.”
Peter Hopson (32) and Rob Gibson (17) gave Havant a sound launch pad, but both openers, plus Stu Ransley (26), Gorvin and Ben Walker were back in the pavilion as a middle-order wobble briefly threatened to undermine Havant’s day.
Chris Stone (46) and the ever reliable Richard Hindley (16) soon closed the door – and probably on South Wilts’ fading prospects of a fifth straight title.
Their trophy cabinet has laid bare since 2011 when South Wilts began their four-year silverware monopoly.
But all that is set to change after a comfortable five-wicket win over South Wilts made Havant firm favourites for the championship, writes Mike Vimpany.
Vice-captain Andy Gorvin described the win as “significant” but warned the title race could still easily go to the wire.
“We’ve got a 20-odd points lead going into the last four (games), but our last three are against Lymington, Hampshire Academy and then Burridge, so there’s a lot more for us to do yet,” he said.
South Wilts have been Havant’s nemesis in recent season’s – seldom have they beaten the Salisbury club in that time – but they well and truly removed the Indian Sign in the Havant Park sunshine.
They bowled South Wilts out for 149 and after a wobble, which saw four wickets fall for 19 runs, cruised to victory with 13 overs to spare.
South Wilts have batted indifferently for most of the summer and, after openers Jake Winter and Jack Mynott had gone cheaply, struggled to impose themselves on Havant’s spin friendly surface.
Teenager Ben Draper (19) helped South Wilts limp to 36-3, but only when James Hayward (26) and Joe Cranch (40) were at the crease did the four-time champions look as though they might post a competitive score.
Left-arm pair Thomas Vandslik (4-36) and Chris Morgan (3-25) took seven of the wickets as South Wilts just missed a second batting bonus point at 149 all out.
“It’s been the story of our season really – inconsistent batting,” sighed a disappointed SW captain James Hayward.
“It’s out of our hands now. All we can do now is try and win as many games as we can and see where that takes us.
“Our next two home games are against Burridge and Bashley (Rydal), so the run-in promises to be interesting.”
Peter Hopson (32) and Rob Gibson (17) gave Havant a sound launch pad, but both openers, plus Stu Ransley (26), Gorvin and Ben Walker were back in the pavilion as a middle-order wobble briefly threatened to undermine Havant’s day.
Chris Stone (46) and the ever reliable Richard Hindley (16) soon closed the door – and probably on South Wilts’ fading prospects of a fifth straight title.