After posting 245-5 off their 40 overs, the hosts appeared favourites when Old Basing were reduced to 229-8. But ninth wicket pair Joe Belcher (30 not out) and Max Elward (8 not out) kept their nerve to give their side a two-wicket victory.
Ransley, who added 106 for the second wicket with Andrew Galliers (49), 14 boundaries and a six before his 110-ball visit to the crease was only ended in the final over when he was caught at cover.
It was Ransley’s ninth league century for Havant and came 17 years after first one for the 2nds against Hambledon.
The innings was helped along with a timely 45 off 39 balls from young Olly Perkins, who helped Ransley add 99 for the fifth wicket as the hosts posted a challenging target.
Old Basing’s reply was measured and the game was in the balance early on as Havant looked to control the run rate. Some very good middle overs from Steve Matthews (2-47) and the ever economical Pete Hayward (2-21 off eight overs) ensured the game was always going the distance.
Havant were really in the driving seat at 93-4 but Nick Willcock (91) and former Academy hopeful Ryan Murray (52) wrestled the initiative from them with a fifth wicket stand of 96. When Willcock’s 84-ball innings was finally over, Old Basing were 206-6 and it was anyone’s match.
Some heavy blows from Belcher swung the game in the visitors’ favour and they started the final over needing five for victory. In the end, they scrambled the winning run off the final delivery.
Old Basing’s third straight win put them on the 60-point mark – 25 behind Sway, who are looking to make it five in a row when Fareham & Crofton visit the New Forest today.
Sway captain Tim Noble hit a battling 47 before some brutal late order hitting from Dan Bailey helped the visitors get over the line against Hursley Park (116) on what was a difficult surface.
On a damp, green Quarters pitch, Sway were forced to work hard to overcome an accurate Hursley attack having got bogged down to the extent they were 23 off 21 overs and needing to up the rate.
A 54-run partnership between Noble and Oscar Marshall (23) had the pair scampering between the wickets to up the ante, and gave Bailey licence to play freely when he came to the crease – as he smacked two crushing blows and Sway got over the line with more than four overs to spare.
Noble hit four boundaries in his innings, which was ended just before the total was reached, enabling Dave Steadman to crack the winning runs.
Sway produced a good all-round bowling performance setting up a modest chase.
Hursley had ambled to 34 off 15 overs before Hugh Bernard produced a superb catch off Steadman (1-19) to get the first scalp, and in the next over Prince took a smart grab to get Jon Waller (1-15) a wicket.
Jon Grasham (2-21) and Bernard (2-23), made inroads into the middle order, before Dan Bailey (2-12) and Josh Bailey (2-22), wrapped up proceedings, the brothers aided by two very smart slip catches by Grasham.
Patience was rewarded for both Fareham & Crofton and promoted Winton, whose first three May matches had been washed out.
Fareham pulled off a 54-run at London Road, where Andover II slipped from a threatening 105-2 to 176 all out once Thanura Watts Waduge (57) and Max Souter had fallen to visitors’ gloveman and man-of-the-match Tom Kent.
The left-hand opener earlier hit 97 before being dismissed three short of buying the team drinks at 215-5. Left-arm teenager Andrew Martin a strapping 16-year old, had a memorable debut with a 4-19 return.
Matt Clark’s partnerships with Sam Thomson (41) and Joe May (40) underpinned a competitive 232-5 by Winton against visiting St Cross Symondians III. Clark made 79 not out.
Led by Blair Brown (66 not out) and Matt Swann (52), St Cross made a decent fist of their reply but, as happened against Old Basing a few weeks ago, they fell narrowly short with 220-8.
Defending champions Parley ran into early trouble at 24-3 against Ethan Brackstone (3-39) at Cockets Mead, but were revived by the promising Roshan Embalagama (55), Tom Saunders (35) and Sam Rook (33), the trio lifted the visiting score to 202-9.
Steve Poole hit a gallant 84 not out, but Easton & Martyr Worthy at 96-6 were always playing catch-up after Andy Cooke’s spell of 3-34. EMW closed at 164-6.
Andy Gorty and Matt Storey shared six wickets as Alton were dismissed for 136 (Michael Heffernan 45), Alex Spearing’s 48 driving Compton & Chandler’s Ford to a comfortable win.
Openers Jamie Mitchell (60) and Nick Wyatt (45) set up Portsmouth’s 203, which proved too many for Lymington II, who made 165 after a bright start by Liam McCurdy (40) and Axel Deem (32), who earlier took three wickets.
Tom Robinson marked his comeback from injury with a match winning 82 as Bournemouth recovered from 44-4 to make 176-7 against Burridge at Chapel Gate.
Ebullient Lions captain Jonny Coombs made 25 before being caught by Srujith Wickramasinghe off the bowling of Sampath Prathapashinghe, the Sri Lanka duo being too good for him …
Burridge collapsed to 82-7 before rallying to make 136-8.