Southampton Solent pulled a massive ‘Get out of Jail’ card from the pack to preserve their cherished ten-year stay at the top level of British Universities cricket.
Their immediate future in the BUCS Premier Division playing established MCCUs like Durham, Leeds & Bradford, Loughborough and Oxford was in jeopardy after they failed to win a single match of a rain truncated season.
Having finished bottom of the table they were forced into a winner-take-all National Promotion play-off against Bournemouth, who had won all six matches to top the South group.
When it came to the crunch the Solent students finally cracked it, beating Bournemouth by 24 runs in an amazing game that produced a staggering 660 runs and three centuries of outstanding quality.
Solent piled up an imposing 344-4, with Matt Stokes hitting an undefeated 151 (three sixes and 18 fours) and Bryce Hounsome 123.
They shared an opening stand of 230 and guided Solent to what appeared an unassailable position.
When Bournemouth lost wickets in the opening 20 overs, the odds were stacked heavily in Solent’s favour – until Bashley (Rydal) all-rounder Tim Taylor (60) launched a stirring comeback.
With drizzle in the rain and conditions deteriorating, Bournemouth attacked relentlessly, with former Sparsholt batsman Sam Kennett hitting a career best 114 not out off 92 balls and Lou Kear 41.
But, much to Solent’s relief, the bowling bombardment ended with Bournemouth 316-9 and 24 runs short.

njuries have finally taken their toll on Kevin Nash, who has decided to call time on a distinguished bowling career - even though he's within a whisker of reaching a remarkable wicket-taking milestone in Southern League cricket.
Putting his aches and pains to one side, the popular Bashley (Rydal) seamer finished the 2017 season with 485 wickets in Southern League cricket.
Knowing the magical 500 was only 15 wickets away, Nash took to the gym and trained hard all winter to get fit for the new season, writes Mike Vimpany.
But the numerous injuries that have riddled Nash towards the tail end of a league career that has spanned 25 years have finally forced him to quit the game that he's loved since first picking up a bat as a ten-year old.
“I really wanted to reach that 500 wicket milestone, but pretty much every game this season I’ve felt an injury after about four or five overs. I think the body was telling me something,” he explained.
“I picked up a few wickets this season, but it was taking longer and longer to recover so after 25 years of fist team cricket I’ve decided to call it a day, records or no records.”
Nash, 42, celebrated his 400th SPL wicket last summer, prior to which he’d taken 83 wickets for Bashley in the old Southern League between 1995 and 1999, after which the competition became an ECB accredited Premier League.
“Bashley won’t quite be the same again without Nashy out there. He’s been a wonderful servant and when he took that 400th wicket last season against South Wilts it was a magical moment for all of us,” praised Bashley captain Michael Porter.
His name will remain etched in the top six all-time Premier League wicket takers for many more years to come.
Nash recalled making his first team debut as a 16-year old and as a long haired Brockenhurst College student, was part of the Bashley team that won the Hampshire League back in the mid-1990s.
“I actually made my Southern League debut in 1995 and a quarter of a century later was still running up to bowl with a new ball in my right hand,” he chuckled.
“Being part of the Bashley team that won promotion all those years ago was high-spot of my club career, but just playing in the league so long and with and against so many top players has been very special.
“We’ve won a few T20 competitions along the way, but never the league, which is a shame.
“Overall, I’ll look back with an immense amount of pride just playing for Bashley (Rydal) and seeing the club make so many massive strides and generally develop on and off the field.”
Nash’s cricket career hasn’t been confined to Bashley (Rydal) because he played Minor Counties cricket for Wiltshire (and previously Dorset) for six seasons from 1995.
He took 98 wickets, including a personal best 8-64 against Wales MC at Swansea, and was named Man of the Match with figures of 4-45 when Wiltshire played Kent  in the C & G Trophy at South Wilts in his farewell 2005 season.
Nash was no tail-end mug with the bat and showed his prowess by scoring 60 on one occasion, having come to the crease as a night-watchman.
He was also a regular choice for Hampshire Cricket Board and Southern League representative sides, besides county age group teams in his formative years.
In his younger days, Nash was a decent football, playing centre-half for Sway in the Bournemouth League.
“The cricket and football boots are hung up now. I’ve got my seat on the Bashley cricket pavilion and will be there each week cheering the lads on – and enjoying a soft drink or two,” Nash laughed.

 (pictured below)James Hayward hit an unbeaten 103 which Matt Stokes almost matched with a century of his own as South Wilts maintained their lead at the top of the ECB Southern Premier League by claiming a “winning draw” in what, for the most part, was an interesting match with St Cross Symondians at Winchester’s tree lined Green Jackets Ground.
Hayward struck his first hundred since 2015, having come to the crease with South Wilts an uncertain 76-4 and went on to steer his side to 268-7.
Stokes’s role for St Cross was not dissimilar inasmuch his side lost three wickets in quick succession immediately after tea, but from 69-4 he took them to an eventual 230-7, finishing unbeaten on 98, two runs short of what would have been a deserved hundred.
Tom Morton, with a six-boundary 31, got South Wilts off to a typical flier, which Jack Bransgrove (3-59) checked and before too long the visitors were 76-4 with Steve Mitchell (3-43) sharing the spoils.
It needed some careful progress for Hayward and Ben Draper (34) to see South Wilts through to lunch five down, but with Hayward (and his dangerous array of unorthodox shots) still at the crease a sizeable total beckoned.
A brief rain break failed to dampen Hayward’s thirst for runs and with a series of sweet times drives and unorthodox switch hits he breached the boundary rope 13 times before bringing up his first SPL century in four seasons.
James Hibberd (28) also worked the ball about the field before retiring hurt with a foot injury which later prevented him from bowling.
Nonetheless, South Wilts made it on to 268-7, leaving St Cross 57 overs to chase down the target or, more realistically, score 251 to get the “winning draw”, ie a great share of the points than the visitors.
Two boundaries from Tom Foyle got the innings off to an encouraging start, but having been struck a painful blow on the knee, was clean bowled by Luke Evans next ball.
The runs flowed before tea as teenage duo Billy Mead (24) and Harry Came (29) hit nine boundaries between them.
Came looked in the form of his life after his centuries for Kent seconds in the past week, but he, Mead and Dan Lunn departed within one run of each other to leave Symondians wobbling at 69-4.
Mirroring the South Wilts innings earlier, it needed a period of crease occupation – which Stokes and captain’s brother Harry Foyle (33) duly provided.
Gradually, the pair rebuilt the innings, their timely stand of 116 raising optimism in the St Cross ranks they might, at 185-4, have a crack at that ‘winning draw’ target.
But it was all taking too long.
Admittedly shorn of Hibberd and Steve Warner (injured shoulder), South Wilts persevered with seam when it appeared they had sufficient runs in the bank to ‘buy’ a wicket or two and, in the end, the slow over-rate cost them a bonus point.
Just seven overs of spin were offered up as the game drifted – fortunately to be revived by Stokes (pictured below), who managed to reignite affairs.
The Channel Islander did his level best to double his SPL century tally (he made an unbeaten 120 at Sarisbury Athletic in 2015), but some deliberately ‘out of reach’ deliveries at the end denied him the opportunity.
St Cross closed at 230-7 – a total which left Foyle and his team satisfied.
“We responded well from 69-4. Last season we would have caved in from that sort of position, but Matt batted superbly and created what turned out to be a good game,” Tom Foyle reflected.

Ryan Scott celebrated his second ECB Southern Premier League century as Lymington heaped more misery on their New Milton neighbours with a crushing 156-run victory in a one-sided derby at the Sports Ground.
Scott brought up his unbeaten 101 just as Lymington declared at 285-3 off 57 overs – a total the Green & Golds had little hope of matching.
They were bowled out for 129, the last five wickets falling for seven runs.
Scott (photo courtesy of Lymington Times) built on the 79-run platform Oli Calcott (40) and Dom Hand (34) secured to compile his run-a-ball hundred, which contained a six and nine fours.
The son of Middlesex head coach Richard Scott, he enjoyed a 48-run stand with debut-making Henry Edwards (31) which tended with Milton teenager Luke Mortimore taking his third catch of the innings.
That was New Milton’s last bit of joy as Scott and Queenslander James Grady (71 not out) added a further and unbroken 150 before the declaration.
Such are New Milton’s current playing resources - they do not have an overseas player this summer and were without lead batsman Tom Arnold at Lymington – there was little hope of them putting up more than token resistance and so it proved.
Lee Beck (54) and James Haggaty (39) battled manfully from 14-2, but once they were parted at 73 wickets fell at regular intervals.
Grady completed his best Lymington match so far with a 3-27 return, while Dimitri Adams added a wicket brace to his two earlier catches as Milton crumbled from 122-5 to 129 all out.
A fifth straight defeat has effectively left New Milton 55 points adrift at the basement.

Lee Savident and Sully White played the key roles as Burridge beat a disappointing Bashley (Rydal) by 55 runs to secure their first ECB Southern Premier Division ‘Time’ pennant win points.
Savident top scored with 60 before Burridge reduced the visitors to 90-8 before successfully defended 201 with some comfort – seamer White (pictured) having ripping the heart out of their top order with a four-wicket haul.
Former Hampshire all-rounder Savident produced a patient knock at the top of the order and was eventually fifth out at 145, having hit one six and seven fours in a timely stay at the crease.
Azim Chowdhury (29) and Richard Lock (21) provided support before Josh Digby (3-29) and Simon Watkins (2-39)began to make inroads with their off-spin.
Handy late runs from Oli Southon and Sully White took Burridge past the 200-mark.
Digby and Michael Porter bagged first ball ducks as Bashley rocked at 47-5, White taking 4-36 and Southon an eventual 3-56.
Things got little better at 90-8 before tail end resistance from Simon Watkins (26) and Dan Goodey (26) helped Bashley limp to 146 all out.
 

Hampshire Academy captain Felix Organ hit a century but it was his opposite number, Scott Myers, who held the key to Alton’s survival in a high scoring draw on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground.
Organ’s 119, made during a prolific century-plus partnership with Fletcha Middleton (66) under-pinned the Academy’s 296-9.
But after Dan Harris’s 91 had powered Alton towards a threatening 195-3, the Brewers lost five cheap wickets in lurching to 220-8.
Due to the resilience of Myers, with an unbeaten 62, Alton held on for a draw at 262-8.
“It was a shame we were unable to bowl Alton out and get the win, especially as we had them eight down with a fair bit of time left,” Organ reflected.
“But credit Scott Myers and his partner who knuckled down well in the crucial closing stages and ultimately denied us victory.”
Organ hit a six and 16 fours in his 119 and shared a second-wicket stand of 124 with Middleton (66).
It was his second Premier League century, his maiden 125 coming against New Milton last season when the Academy made 299-3 and lost by five wickets !
“I tried to be a lot more positive than I was at Havant the previous week and Fletcha and myself rotated the strike well, keeping the scoreboard moving,” Organ added.
With opener George Metzger (26 in a 69-run opening stand), Tom Scriven (26) and George Pardoe (20) in support, the Academy posted 296-9, with Julian Ballinger’s 5-27 return his 23rd five-wicket haul in Premier League cricket.
Hard hitting South African Marco Marais got Alton off to a stunning start, smashing two sixes and three fours (24 in boundaries) in a ten-ball 27.
But when he was caught off Chris Searle (4-66) and Alex Hammond was bowled by the catcher, Tom Scriven soon afterwards, Alton were 28-2.
Michael Heffernan (40), with 234 runs in six knocks, and Dan Harris added 116 – the former Northampton Saints batsman going on to strike 17 boundaries in a fine 91 as the Brewers began to threaten at 195-3.
But when Harris was run out, Alton lost their way and the fall of five wickets for 25 runs saw them facing defeat at 220-8.
However, skipper Myers (below) was still there, passing his third half-century of the season and proving impossible for Organ’s six-pronged attack to shift.
He went on to make an unbeaten 62 and with Devyn Scott as his partner, guided Alton to the safety of 262-8 and a draw.

Basingstoke & North Hants lost their last six wickets for a meagre three runs as they capitulated to a 111-run defeat by reigning ECB Southern Premier League champions Havant at May’s Bounty.
Things appeared to be going nicely as Ben Thane (57) and Dan Belcher (37) eased Basingstoke to 76-1 in response to Havant’s 229-7 declared.
But Thane’s dismissal at 115-4 triggered a collapse of monumental proportions as Basingstoke lost three wickets in quick succession and in barely three overs were 118 all out.
Spin duo Chris Morgan (4-27) and Richard Hindley (4-33) did the damage for Havant, whose win lifted them into second place behind South Wilts.
“Basingstoke were going well when I brought the spinners on. They have bags of experience between them and I know I can throw the ball to them in all different situations and they will do a good job,” Havant captain Chris Stone said.
Basingstoke, who have yet to score more than 175 in an innings yet this season, were without David Griffiths, who had damaged his right wrist.
An almost distraught Basingstoke captain Mitch Stokes said: “We bowled well. I would have taken 229 at the start of the day, but we have batted really badly.”
Earlier, Andy Gorvin (24) was able to enhance the tidy start openers Stu Ransley (40) and Peter Hopson (20) gave to the Havant innings.
But the nub of their 229-7 was provided by skipper Chris Stone, whose 75 included 13 boundaries.
Timely support from Hindley (29) and Jez Bulled (21 not out) saw Havant to their match winning total. Graham Porter (3-58) and Stokes (3-63) sharing six of the seven wickets.
 

Champions Calmore Sports are stepping up the pressure on leaders Bournemouth at the top of Sothern Premier League Division One.
While the Lions were being beaten by a Ricky Rawlins inspired Sarisbury Athletic, Calmore trimmed earlier table toppers Hook & Newnham Basics by three wickets to move into second spot.
Hook were never allowed to dictate the terms and were soon 12-3 against the miserly left-arm of Steve Wright (1-18) and Liam Newton (3-31), the in-form Richard Willcock and skipper Matt Love both bagging ducks.
Harry Warner (26) and Jordan Hobday (32) got the scoreboard moving, while Rhodes Franklin (19) added some useful runs before Hook were 126 all out, Mark Lavelle and Mike West picking up two wickets each.
Calmore wobbled at 19-2, but improved through Ben Johns, left, (36) and James Manning (26), only for left-arm spinner Rhodes Franklin (3-29) to reduce them to 73-5.
But largely due to Ben Perry (16) and Mike West Calmore got home seven wickets down.
Ventnor lost six wickets for 22 runs to spin pair Jody Brown and Matt Bampton as they tried in vain to chase down Old Tauntonians & Romsey’s total of 150 at the Romsey Sports Centre.
The islanders appeared in good shape at 69-2 with Martin Blackman (25) and Tom Friend (23) at the crease.
But Brown, who finished with figures of 5-15 off his ten overs, dismissed both batsmen before removing the entire Ventnor top order as the visitors plunged to 91-8.
Bampton’s equally miserly spell of 2-15 came at a stage when the Ventnor tail wagged, lifting their reply to 130 all out, 20 runs adrift of the target.
Earlier, OTs collapsed in a similar, but no so dramatic style.
Ian Woodhall (30) was prominent before Harry Tulk (41) and Brown (18) raised the score to 106-3 before James Cheek (4-33) and Charlie Sammons (3-22) crated inroads and reduced OTs to 150 all out.
OTR visit Portsmouth on Saturday, the city hosts struggling in second from bottom place but being bolstered by the arrival of former Hampshire 2nd XI all-rounder Fraser Hay and Andy Moon, from Australia.

Ricky Rawlins carried his bat for an unbeaten 95 which swept Sarisbury Athletic to a six-wicket win and unsettled Bournemouth’s hold on the Southern Premier League Division One leadership.
The Sarisbury skipper led from the front, striking two sixes and 12 fours as Bournemouth’s 188-9 was overhauled with 22 balls to spare.
It was the second consecutive week Sarisbury had shaken up the early stage top table positions, seven days earlier they ended Hook & Newnham Basics’ short reign at the top.
Bournemouth remain top of the tree, but their lead has been trimmed to ten points by Sarisbury’s Chapel Gate triumph.
Bournemouth made a decent start through Nick Park (55) and Tom West (22), but the promise of 80-1 evaporated as Paul Jewell (3-22) and spin duo Sam Hill (2-22) and Tom Nightingale (2-22) nibbled away, with new buy Luke Webb among those unable to cash in .
Bournemouth were indebted to Rob Pack (27) and Dan Conway (19) to lift their total to 188-9.
Conway made an immediate impact by removing young Jamie Dunn, but once Nightingale (39) joined Rawlins in a 64-run stand, the Lions’ total was under threat.
They moved Sarisbury’s reply on to 115-2, after which Josh Hill and Sam Floyd linked up with Rawlins to ease the visitors, now in third place, to a six-wicket win.
“We had to put our hands up and say we were beaten by a better side. Ricky Rawlins played a fantastic innings and didn’t give us a chance,” said Bournemouth skipper Chris Park.
“We are still positive and I trust the team but we need to improve our consistency. We have to remember what our principles and basics are as a side. Luckily, results went our way at the weekend. We are still top of the league but we need to up our game.”

Harry Munt biffed a rescue act maiden Southern Premier League century  to leave promoted Hartley Wintney remain rooted to the bottom after a narrow eight-run defeat at Liphook & Ripsley, their fifth in a row.
Liphook, who face Berkshire’s Cookham Dean in the Village Cup on Sunday (1pm), were rocking at 14-3 before Harry Munt struck two sixes and 11 fours in his 102 and shared important stands with Sam Franks and Sean Burton (31) as the hosts made 208.
Hartley Wintney dropped to 39-3, but George Neave and Quincy Stephens, though pacey, sprayed the ball everywhere, the visitors benefitted from a staggering 45 extras, all bar ten of them wides.
Ryan Covey showed how to bowl line and length, leaking only 16 runs off his ten overs, ironically five of them wides !
At 132-7 HW remained second favourites – until left-hander James Beckwith blasted four maximums in a rapid fire 50 before becoming a second scalp for Sean Burton (3-39).
Ben Earney and Dan Reynaldo also hit out late as Liphook held their breath with the visitors 200-9 at stumps.

Andover seamer Mike Adams wrecked Portsmouth with figures of 8-19 – a career-best return which sent Southern Premier League Division 1 strugglers Portsmouth nose-diving to a seven-wicket defeat at London Road.
He ran amok, taking five of the first six wickets as Portsmouth lurched to 27-6 before being skittled for a club low 59 all out, Adams also grabbing the last three.
Hampshire’s Asher Hart removed former Academy left-hander Ben Duggan – one of three nicks to wicket-keeper Matt Knight – while Glyn Treagus made it 27-7 when he bowled James Moon.
At that stage Portsmouth, who lie second from bottom of the table with only one win from six matches, were facing the prospect of being shot out for the lowest total in SPL history – an unwanted record ironically held by their second team, who were dismissed for 29 by United Services in 2007.
But Reuben McArdle and two fellow tail-enders spared their blushes by doubling the final score to 59 before Adams finished them off.
It was only the third time in his career that Adams had taken five or more wickets in a match.
Andover’s run chase looked a straight-forward affair when openers Ali Hooper and Hart put on 26, but they contrived to lose three wickets before Canada-bound Peter Symonds College student Nathan Birks hit an unbeaten 23 to get them over the line.
The results left Jack Marston bemoaning a second consecutive batting collapse, saying: “We were pretty poor and this has to be the lowest point of the season for us..
“It’s all about applying ourselves in the opening ten overs. If we lose early wickets we have a soft underbelly and don’t have anyone prepared to fight it out. Our batsmen need to show a lot more backbone.”
The match lasted less than 30 overs, probably the quickest in Premier League history.

Openers Conor Browne and Tommy Spencer shared a 144-run stand to set up Langley Manor’s crushing 108-run defeat of Southern Premier League Division Two rivals St Cross Symondians II at Knellers Lane.
The pair breached the boundary rope 24 times between them, Browne scoring 85 (one six and 14 fours) and the developing teenage Spencer  (left) on nine occasion as he made his way to 62, his highest SPL score.
With Azeem Hamid (42) and Nick Wheeler, with a late 27, weighing in, the Manor put the game beyond Symondians’ reach at 289-9 (Matt Perry-Lewis 4-51).
Paul Hawkins (46), Jack Middleton (40) and Kelvin Lockwood (37) were the only St Cross batsmen to respond, spinner Spencer taking out the middle-order with a 3-33 return.
Trojans moved off the bottom with a comfortable 63-run win over visiting Basingstoke & North Hants at Stoneham Lane, where Abdul Manjra biffed a rapid 74 to turn the match on its head.
Trojans were struggling at 106-5 (Keith Harris 3-38) when Manjra arrived at the crease to smash five big sixes and seven fours, and dominate a century stand with Rahul Bhone (39 not out) as the Stoneham side powered to 222-7 (Nigel le Bas 41).
Basingstoke were bowled out for 159 (Richard Vinn 49), Neil Adderley (4-21) and Mario Mohamad (3-32) taking a lion’s share of the wickets.

Jon Hudson led by example with a five-wicket haul as Waterlooville beat Paultons by 52 runs at Rowlands Avenue to secure third place in the Southern Premier League Division 2.
Hudson, who recently took over the reins from Max Goddard, has seen his side win four of their opening five matches, writes Kevin Ricketts, The News.
‘We only have two members of the team who are over 30. The majority of the rest are all in their early 20s. Against Paultons we had two 16-year-olds and two 19-year-olds in the team : we must be one of the youngest teams in the league and it is exciting to see just how far they can go,’ Hudson said.
‘Coming up into this division was a big step into the unknown but so far we have shown we can handle it. Being a young side gives us a lot of energy and there is a good team spirit. It helps we are a good bunch of friends who socialise together off the pitch. That gives us a good buzz and a willingness to go out and play for each other.’
Waterlooville won the toss and opted to bat first – even though they knew the pitch would not be easy. Hudson, pictured, predicted it might be a bit two-paced with the odd ball keeping low, but knew if his side could set a target of around 170, it would put them in a good position.
But things didn’t go to plan early on – with Perth Suburban Turf all-rounder Alex Smith and Archie Reynolds falling cheaply.
It was one of Ville’s senior players, 30-year-old opener James Scutt (43), who steadied the ship. Along with the in-form Alex Shephard (50), he helped add 59 runs for the third wicket.
Tom Greene, 16, gave Waterlooville extra momentum with a timely unbeaten 47 to lift his side close to the 200 mark.
‘We were quietly confident if we bowled well we would win,’ added Hudson, who then ripped through Paultons with figures of 5-30, including three wickets for just two runs midway through their innings.
Jack Murrell gave a decent performance for Paultons, taking 3-32 before top scoring with a late innings 41, but overseas player Josh Abel is struggling to make an impact having made only 35 runs and taken two wickets in seven outings.
While Paultons were being dismissed for 142 at Waterlooville, the club’s second team piled up 339-5 against HCL CD4 West opponents IBM Hursley, with two past captains Tony Richman (114) and Andrew Collins (113) making hay. Several other familiar names were in the Paultons II line-up.

Vandals have caused over £4,500 worth of damage to the recently acquired covers at Sarisbury Athletic's Allotment Road ground.  With fine and hot weather forecast for the remainder of the week, there is no danger to Saturday's scheduled SPL1 match against Andover.

Tom Allam warned pre-match that, despite their loTom Allam warned days before the game that, despite their lowly standing in the table, Tichborne Park were capable of beating anyone on their day.
His words didn’t quite ring true – but Tichborne, second from bottom in the log, gave new Southern Premier League Division 2 leaders Sparsholt a massive scare in the Locks Lane derby.
Allam’s own contribution – a superb boundary strewn 131 – took Tichborne to 243-9 and within 18 runs of Sparsholt’s 261-5 and provided Jeremy Frith, the host captain, with a far more anxious afternoon than he might have anticipated. 
Frith himself set the tone of a run-laden affair with an accomplished 84 (11 fours) at the top of the Sparsholt order, sharing an 89-run start with Michael Haworth (45).
Frith fell at 177-4, leaving Lewis Mitchard, with a run-a-ball 63 (one six and six fours), and Nick Doubell (25) to push the total on to 261-5.
Tom Allam had gone wicketless during the afternoon session – but it was a different story after tea, with the Tichborne skipper setting off on a one-man batting crusade.
In a truly superb two-hour stay at the crease, Allam smashed five sixes and 16 fours, racking up his second consecutive SPL2 century and the highest of his five hundreds scored in recent seasons.
Allam’s only problem came at the non-striker’s end, where six team-mates perished and only two fifty-plus partnerships materialised.
He was eventually out at 190-7 to a spectacular outfield catch by Alex Thornton.
Tichborne didn’t give up there. Ed Berry (32) and Matt Bristow (19) kept the scoreboard ticking, ensuring the visitors a maximum batting bonus point haul at an eventual 243-9, teenage spinner Liam Doran’s 3-38 the best figures of the day.
Sparsholt v Tichborne Park photographs by Bob Selley.

Rowledge
Standing (from left): Sherry Park (scorer), Joe Randall, David Lloyd, Nick Morant, Jake Wish, Chris Yates Jnr, Richard Forbes.  Seated: Ollie Baker, Steve Martin, Ben Wish, Fraser Wilson, Sam Moseley.

Rowledge nicked the Southern Premier League Division 2 leadership off Sparsholt, albeit on minimal points per match average, with a 59-run win over Totton & Eling at Church Road.
Back in the Rowledge fold, Chris Yates played a pivotal top order role, scoring 71 and enjoying a healthy partnership with jake Wish (32) before David Lloyd’s timely 63 eased the Surrey county border club to 242-8, teenager Liam Carty taking 3-59 for the visitors.
Totton dipped to 76-4 (Sam Bracey 25) before being revived by Zimbabwean Gary Chirmuuta (54). Youngsters Sam Beer (27) and Leo Taylor (26) got a chance to show their prowess before stumps with T & E 183-8.
The win and being top of the log has put Rowledge in good heart ahead of Sunday’s testing Village Cup national first round tie against former Lord’s finalists Findon, who currently lie third in Sussex Premier League Division 3 West.


 

Jack Davies scored his second unbeaten century in four Southern Premier League knocks when he swept Portsmouth & Southsea to a nine-wicket win over Havant IIs, who dropped to second from bottom of Division 3 in the process.
Davies, whose 137 not out at Lymington in late May was a personal best, struck 12 fours and enjoyed an unbroken 170-run partnership with teenager Oli Kanavan (54) as P & S cruised past Havant’s 184-6 with ten overs to spare.   Andrew Ruston (52) and Simon Loat (40) were the mainstays for Havant.

A third wicket stand of 143 between Josh McCoy and Sean Figgins laid the foundations for Purbrook’s 50-run win over Bashley (Rydal) II, whose Premier Division 3 prospects dipped in the process.
The pair came together with Purbrook already well placed at 73-2 (Clark Harding 43) and proceeded to pepper the BCG boundary – McCoy hitting two sixes and 12 fours in his 86 and Figgins remaining unbeaten with 82, including eight fours.  Purbrook made 248-7.
Two early strikes by James Gurney (2-25) had Bashley on the back foot at 54-4. Phil Morris (44) and teenager James Turner (43) lifted them to 198 all out, Martin Lee taking 4-37.
Photos by Terry Nash: Josh McCoy (above) and Bashley teenager James Turner reverse sweeps, below.

Fair Oak remain top of Southern Premier League Division 3, despite having their five-match unbeaten start to the season shattered by lowly Gosport Borough at Privett Park.
They were bundled out for 86 and handsomely beaten by 89 runs by a Borough side that had previously won only once.
Oaks were on top with Gosport 95-5, only to have the initiative wrested away from them by Greg Kitchin (43) and Craig Stares (33), who added a match turning 74
Fair Oak seemed well placed at 54-1 (Ed Kemp 28), but teenage duo Jacob Harris, left, (3-13) and Jack Richards (3-17) reeled off six maidens in seven overs before Oaks collapsed losing nine wickets for 32 runs.
“This was the complete opposite to the previous week when the pair were awful. They showed against Fair Oak how good they can be and Jack, bowling his off-spin, was unplayable at times,” said Gosport vice-captain Lee Harrop.
Hambledon moved into second place when they chased down winless Fawley’s 205-8 (Kieran Earl 56) to win by two wickets at Holbury, where spinner Henry Glanfield (3-35) was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers.
Will Bond’s 79, aided by a timely 46 from ex-King Edward VI all-rounder Rory Morris, got the Dons home.
South Wilts II’s win-lose results sequence continued, this time on a positive note as visiting counterparts Lymington were beaten by three wickets at Bemerton.
With Lymington struggling at 96-6 (Ayed Agha 37) at one point, skipper Rob Pittman expected to wrap things up a lot quicker.
But teenage duo Dan Cox (60) and Hugo Smith (32) added 84 for the seventh wicket to point the visitors towards an eventual 208-9 (Ben Fisher 3-38).
Tom Berzins (53) and Joe Cranch (42) looked to have matters under control with South Wilts’ reply at 102-1, but six more wickets fell – among those Jack Stearman (23) and Tom Pearce (21) – before Stephen Kidd (20) and Fisher’s 16 not out got them across the line.

SOUTHERN PREMIER CRICKET LEAGUE
RESULTS – ROUND 7 [16 June 2018]
 
ECB PREMIER DIVISION
 
Burridge 201 (Savident 60, Chowdhury 29, Digby 3-29)
Bashley (Rydal) 146 (Watkins 26, Goodey 26, Taylor 25, White 4-28, Southon 3-56)
Burridge won by 55 runs.
 
Hampshire Academy 296-9 (Organ 119, Middleton 66, Metzger 26, Scriven 26, Ballinger 5-77)
Alton 262-8 (Harris 91, Myers 62*, Heffernan 40, Marais 27, Searle 4-66)
Match drawn.
 
Havant 229-7 (Stone 75, Ransley 40, Hindley 29, Gorvin 24, Porter 3-58, Stokes 3-63)
Basingstoke & North Hants 118 (Thane 57, Belcher 37, Morgan 4-27, Hindley 4-33)
Havant won by 111 runs.
 
Lymington 285-3 (Scott 101*, Grady 71*, Calcott 40, Hand 34)
New Milton 129 (L Beck 54, Haggaty 39, Grady 3-27)
Lymington won by 156 runs.
 
South Wilts 268-7 (Hayward 103*, Draper 34, Morton 31, Hibberd 28*, Mitchell 3-43, Bransgrove 3-59)
St Cross Symondians 230-7 (Stokes 98*, H Foyle 33, Came 29, Mead 24, Murrey 4-46, Evans 3-61)
Match drawn.
 
DIVISION 1
 
Bournemouth 188-9 (N Park 55, Pack 27, Jewell 3-22)
Sarisbury Athletic 190-4 (Rawlins 59, Nightingale 39)
Sarisbury Athletic won by six wickets.
 
Hook & Newnham Basics 126 (Hobday 32, Warner 26, Newton 3-31)
Calmore Sports 127-7 (Johns 36, Manning 26, Franklin 3-29)
Calmore Sports won by three wickets.
 
Liphook & Ripsley 208 (Munt 102, Burton 31)
Hartley Wintney 200-9 (Beckwith 50, Burton 3-39)
Liphook & Ripsley won by eight runs.
 
Old Tauntonians & Romsey 150 (H Tulk 41, Woodhall 30, Cheek 4-33, Sammons 3-22)
Ventnor 130 (Blackman 25, Friend 23, Brown 5-15)
Old Tauntonians & Romsey won by 20 runs.
 
Portsmouth 59 (Adams 8-19)
Andover 60-3 (Birks 23*)
Andover won by seven wickets.
 
DIVISION 2
 
Langley Manor 289-9 (Browne 85, Spencer 62, Hamid 42, Wheeler 27, Perry-Lewis 4-51)
St Cross Symondians III 181 (Hawkins 46, Middleton 40, Lockwood 37, Spencer 3-33)
Langley Manor won by 108 runs.
 
Rowledge 242-8 (C Yates 71, Lloyd 63, J Wish 32, Carty 3-59)
Totton & Eling 183-8 (Chirmuuta 54, Beer 27, L Taylor 26, Bracey 25)
Rowledge won by 59 runs.
 
Sparsholt 261-5 (Frith 84, Mitchard 63, Haworth 45)
Tichborne Park 243-9 (T Allam 131, Berry 32, Doran 3-38)
Sparsholt won by 18 runs.
 
Trojans 222-7 (Manjra 74, Le Bas 41, Bhone 39, Harris 3-38)
Basingstoke & North Hants II 159 (Vinn 49, Dyer 29, Jolley 25, Adderley 4-21, Mohammed 3-32)
Trojans won by 63 runs.
 
Waterlooville 195 (194-5 (Shephard 50, Greene 47, Scutt 43, Murrell 3-32)
Paultons 142 (Murrell 41, Hudson 5-30)
Waterlooville won by 53 runs.
 
DIVISION 3
 
Fawley 205-8 (K Earl 56, Freeman 30, Glanfield 3-35)
Hambledon 206-8 (Bond 79, Morris 46, Sharma 4-23)
Hambledon won by two wickets.
 
Gosport Borough 175-7 (Kitchin 43, Stares 35)
Fair Oak 86 (Kemp 28, Harris 3-13, Richards 3-17)
Gosport Borough won by 89 runs.
 
Havant II 184-6 (Ruston 52, Loat 40)
Portsmouth & Southsea 188-1 (Davies 104*, Kanavan 54*)
Portsmouth & Southsea won by nine wickets.
 
Lymington II 208-9 (Cox 60, Agha 37, Smith 32, Fisher 3-38)
South Wilts II 209-7 (Berzins 53, Cranch 42)
South Wilts II won by three wickets.
 
Purbrook 248-7 (McCoy 86, Figgins 82)
Bashley (Rydal) III 198 (P Morris 44, S Turner 43, Lee 4-37)
Purbrook won by 50 runs.
 
 
 
 

Local trio Liphook & Ripsley, Rowledge and Shrewton have all landed difficult looking ties in the opening national round of the Village Cup on Sunday week, June 24.
Hampshire champions Liphook & Ripsley have home advantage against Berkshire's Cookham Dean, who currently top the Thames Valley League Division 1 table and are unbeaten this season.
Rowledge, who ran up 301 in beating Frensham to win the Surrey group, are drawn away at the delightful  Sussex Premier League ground of Findon, who humiliated Bedhampton in the last round.
Wiltshire champions Shrewton play at home to Gloucestershire county winners Marshfield from the West of England Premier League.

Southampton Solent's immediate future in the British Universities Premier Division hinges on the outcome of their play-off match against Bournemouth at Totton & Eling's Southern Gardens on Sunday, 1pm.
Lose to their local rivals and Solent will concede their cherished Premier slot alongside the MCCU sides they've played and often beaten in the past.  Solent have lost all four games in a weather truncated season and a recent defeat at Bristol left them rock bottom of the table.
Bournemouth, who include Bashley (Rydal) pair Dan Goodey and Tim Taylor and are managed by Steve Wilson, will take Solent's place in the BUCS Premier in 2019 if they win.  They won South 1 with a 100 per cent record from six games.
Luke Evans, Richard Lock, Ryan Murray, Ryan Scott, and Matt Stokes are among the local Premier League cricketers fighting Solent's corner.
With neither Bamber Gascoigne nor Jeremy Paxman available, Shaun Lilley and Dave Wright will take charge of the 50-over south coast University Challenge.

Havant face a return to Normandy, the scene of arguably the heaviest defeat in their long history, in next weekend's ECB Royal London Cup group final.
The eventual Surrey Championship winners flayed the Havant attack for an enormous 346-6 in 2017 before bowling the Hampshire side out for 192 to record a thumping 155-run victory. They were knocked out at Bath in the next round.
In the other South group finals, Blackheath host Roffey, Clevedon play Bath, Stanmore face Middlesex rivals Stanmore, and Finchley meet Chingford.

Easton & Martyr Worthy’s prospects of causing a Village Cup exit were firmly dashed by an unbeaten Ryan Covey century which swept county champions Liphook & Ripsley into the national phase of the competition, which is climaxed by a Lord’s final.
Ben Stanbrook (56) and Jon Ames (33) helped Easton reach 166-8, but with only ten men they were unable to stem the run flow from Covey’s broad bat.
The former Sarisbury Athletic all-rounder, who is in a rich vein of form, hit 14 boundaries in his 104 not out and shared a century stand with Harry Munt (37) as Liphook romped to an eight-wicket win with 13 overs to spare.
Bedhampton were humiliated and shot out for a dismal 54 and crushed by 121 runs by visiting Findon, but Rowledge piled up a massive 301-8 at Frensham, where Ricky Yates (82) and Sam Plater (67) shared a 141-run second-wicket partnership.
Sam Moseley (31) and Sam Marshall (27) eased Rowledge past the 300-mark before Frensham were dismissed for 220, Sam Plater taking 3-40.
County Division 1 side Shrewton claimed the Wiltshire county crown for the first time after posting 179 and then reducing Lacock from 75-0 to 120 all out.
Sam Gillott and Stu ‘Tom’ Cruse top scored with 40-plus scores for Shrewton, while James Cash (4), Chris Brewer (3) and Will Harries (2) caused the Lacock collapse.
* The draw for the opening national round of the Village Cup will be announced here this weekend.

England leg-spinner Mason Crane and Brad Taylor are major fitness concerns for Hampshire ahead of Monday’s Royal London Cup semi-final tie against Yorkshire Vikings at the Ageas Bowl, 11am.
Crane suffered a recurrence of his on-going lower back problems and bowled only one over in Thursday’s Second XI T20 Cup Isle of Wight double banker against the MCCA Unicorns.
Taylor took no part in either match after twisting his right-ankle in the Newclose warm-up and looked in considerable discomfort.
On the positive side, both Liam Dawson and Sam Northeast emerged unscathed from recent finger breaks as Hampshire secured a victory double, Jimmy Adams scoring an unbeaten century in the island sunshine.
Director of Cricket Giles White is optimistic Crane will be fit for the Yorkshire match, but the sight of the 21-year old pulling up after only one over of the opening Unicorns match (which Hampshire won by six wickets chasing 107-7) is of real concern.  
The Lancing College raised leg spinner, who made his Test debut in the final Test of the Ashes in Sydney, was sent home within the first few days of the tour of New Zealand having been diagnosed with a partial stress fracture in his lower back.
He made his comeback for Hampshire a couple of weeks ago but, after seven Royal London Cup games, he felt further discomfort in his back and was not included in the side for last weekend’s Championship innings defeat by Surrey.
Crane, who recently under-went a scan, will be concerned that he has experienced any further discomfort so soon and after a relatively light bowling load.
While Hampshire must adopt a ‘wait and see’ stance on Crane, the news if far more positive on Dawson (who made 35 in Hampshire’s first match) and Northeast, who followed up his first match 28 with a half-century in Hampshire’s 169-4.
It was the former Kent captain’s first visit to the middle since suffering a double fracture of his left little finger in training a short while after hitting a maiden 129 against Surrey at the Kia Oval in late April.
Reflecting on his first-ever visit to the Isle of Wight, Northeast said: “It was an nice opportunity to get out into the middle again. It’s all been very frustrating.
“When we fielded in the opening T20, it was all about getting a bit of confidence. It was a case of being sensible and trying to keep out of the firing line and avoid any bruising or re-injuring it.   It was largely precautionary.
“Batting was fine. I was able to grip the top handle of the bat okay, The finger was just a bit stiff, so there was bottom hand, especially in the second knock.
“It was just a case of getting that rhythm back. I had a net on Wednesday and two T20 knocks against the Unicorns, so after six weeks out it was good to get back into it again.
I’m hoping to be okay for Monday and plan to have another few net sessions beforehand.”
* Second XI T20 scores –
Unicorns 107-7 (Kilbee 37, Topley 2-12, Dawson 2-17) Hampshire 113-4 (Dawson 35, Northeast 28, Adams 21). Hampshire won by six wickets
Hampshire 169-4 (Adams 100*, Northeast 50) Unicorns 145-6 (McKiernan 50*, Topley 2-8. Hampshire won by 24 runs.