It was just as well they took maximum points after shooting Ryde out for 73 (Ashley Goldsmith 25) and winning by eight wickets, because Parley inflicted a 90-run defeat on Old Tauntonians & Romsey II to remain close at hand.
The evergreen Colin Lye took 4-7 as Ryde, already relegated, collapsed. Harry Warner’s unbeaten 34 took Hook home and on an early ferry home.
Dorset U17 prospect Luke Neil (57) hit his maiden HCL fifty as Parley posted a towering 287-9 at the Romsey Sports Centre, where Roshan Embalagama (45), Jack Rowatt (25), Shane Green (36) and Alex Nippard (35) kept the scorers busy.
Nico Newman (64) and Steve Smith (45) were the only OTR batsmen to respond as Nippard completed a fine match with a 4-25 return.
Gosport Borough remain third after a six-wicket haul by teenager Oli Creal (6-22) and Lee Harrop’s 57 not out sealed a victory at Andover.
Sway hit the buffers, suffering four successive defeats after six straight wins had them in nosebleed top-of-the-table nosebleed territory.
But they are up and running again on the back of a 4-12 new ball spell by Dave Steadman, which knocked the stuffing out of Hursley Park, whose modest 144 was easily overhauled. Twin Dan Bailey made 30 in Sway’s six-wicket win.
Exeter University student Jimmy Hawkings was the hero of Ropley’s tense one-wicket win over near neighbours Alton II, taking 4-38 and then hitting a key 41 as the village team narrowly chased down the visitors 155 all out.
Promising Hampshire Seventies’ left-armer Jim Smallbone took 5-47 but was unable to prevent Ben Ungaretti (72) and Nick Willcock (71) from sharing a 131-run partnership, which saw Old Basing to 228-7.
Euan Rixson and Nick Cooper shared six of the wickets as Havant fell well short at 163-8.
Dan Bearpack hit 64 not out as Longparish trimmed Shrewton (137), while St Cross Symondians III enjoyed a comfortable five-wicket win over Bedhampton.