Dan Sumner, maiden Premier Division five-wicket haul [Bob Selley]
Alton are off the ECB Southern Premier Division basement and replaced by Lymington after a 39-run win over the New Forest club at the Jubilee Ground.
They successfully defended 233-8 by bowling Lymington out for 194, Bash Walters (5-45) and Oakley raised off-spinner Dan Sumner (5-28) taking five wickets each.
Alton batted first for once (they've had several grillings in the heat of late), but quick lost Dan Harris (to a superb Ax Deem catch at fine leg) and teenager Sam Ruffell to Northants all-rounder Gareth Berg. Alton 5-2.
The Brewers had drafted Ryan Hale into their side and what a master stroke that proved with the Australian and skipper Scott Myers (38) gradually finding their footing against a miserly Lymington attack (backed up by good fielding) and adding 98.
Immediately before lunch, Hale (59) perished leg before and Alton wined and dined at 115-4. It didn't get much better after the black forest gateaux as the Heffernan brothers departed to spin and Alton slipped to 136-6.
South African Bash Walters (38) joined Matt Crane (31) as the pair looked to build a much needed 63-run seventh-wicket partnership. With Alton needing one more run to reach 200 and an extra batting point inside 60 overs the pair were both dismissed, but Michael Salmon and Dan Sumner secured the extra point and then continued to add pivotal runs. A productive final four overs saw Alton move to a competitive 233-8.
There was only time for six overs before the tea break, Lymington scoring 40-0. It led to some stern words over the cucumber sandwiches and it was a different Brewers that emerged. Walters, steaming in from the Watercress railway end, picked up Jovan Dhariwi (24) and then Monam Abbas (30) to leave the visitors 65-2. Dan Cox then edged Walters behind to Mark Heffernan as the visitors tumbled to 67-3 with Walters taking all three.
The wobble brought together the key pairing of Gareth Berg (36) and Ryan Scott. With Lymington's fast start, run rate was not an issue but both batters were keen to play their shots and put the pressure back on Alton.
The introduction of Dan Sumner proved to be pivotal. With Scott and Berg adding 56 Lymington were back in control but a double breakthrough tipped the scales again. Berg, sweeping the off spinner, was trapped leg before and then Ryan Scott skied a catch to Walters at mid-off. Lymington were now 124-5 with their key batsman back in the pavilion.
They successfully defended 233-8 by bowling Lymington out for 194, Bash Walters (5-45) and Oakley raised off-spinner Dan Sumner (5-28) taking five wickets each.
Alton batted first for once (they've had several grillings in the heat of late), but quick lost Dan Harris (to a superb Ax Deem catch at fine leg) and teenager Sam Ruffell to Northants all-rounder Gareth Berg. Alton 5-2.
The Brewers had drafted Ryan Hale into their side and what a master stroke that proved with the Australian and skipper Scott Myers (38) gradually finding their footing against a miserly Lymington attack (backed up by good fielding) and adding 98.
Immediately before lunch, Hale (59) perished leg before and Alton wined and dined at 115-4. It didn't get much better after the black forest gateaux as the Heffernan brothers departed to spin and Alton slipped to 136-6.
South African Bash Walters (38) joined Matt Crane (31) as the pair looked to build a much needed 63-run seventh-wicket partnership. With Alton needing one more run to reach 200 and an extra batting point inside 60 overs the pair were both dismissed, but Michael Salmon and Dan Sumner secured the extra point and then continued to add pivotal runs. A productive final four overs saw Alton move to a competitive 233-8.
There was only time for six overs before the tea break, Lymington scoring 40-0. It led to some stern words over the cucumber sandwiches and it was a different Brewers that emerged. Walters, steaming in from the Watercress railway end, picked up Jovan Dhariwi (24) and then Monam Abbas (30) to leave the visitors 65-2. Dan Cox then edged Walters behind to Mark Heffernan as the visitors tumbled to 67-3 with Walters taking all three.
The wobble brought together the key pairing of Gareth Berg (36) and Ryan Scott. With Lymington's fast start, run rate was not an issue but both batters were keen to play their shots and put the pressure back on Alton.
The introduction of Dan Sumner proved to be pivotal. With Scott and Berg adding 56 Lymington were back in control but a double breakthrough tipped the scales again. Berg, sweeping the off spinner, was trapped leg before and then Ryan Scott skied a catch to Walters at mid-off. Lymington were now 124-5 with their key batsman back in the pavilion.
Bash Walters took five-wicket haul [Howard Gadsby]
Josh Royan and Jake Smith made Alton wait for their next wicket but the return of Sumner to the attack made the breakthrough, a beautiful off spinning delivery beat the defences of the Oxford Blue. Sumner then removed Ax Deem and Australian Lewis Martin without troubling the scorers to pick up his first Premier League five-fer. The visitors now in trouble at 177-8.
It was now over to the returning Walters, this time from the Chawton Park Road. He trapped the evergreen Asad Abbas LBW leg before for nought to leave Alton were on the verge of a vital victory.
Lymington gloveman Jake Smith remained and provided a glimmer of hope for the visitors but despite making it to 50 (eight fours) off just 54 balls, his counter punch would not be enough. Walters bowled Harry Ottembrajt to complete his own 5 wicket haul to see the Brewers to a vital 39-run on. Lymington 194 all out.
It was now over to the returning Walters, this time from the Chawton Park Road. He trapped the evergreen Asad Abbas LBW leg before for nought to leave Alton were on the verge of a vital victory.
Lymington gloveman Jake Smith remained and provided a glimmer of hope for the visitors but despite making it to 50 (eight fours) off just 54 balls, his counter punch would not be enough. Walters bowled Harry Ottembrajt to complete his own 5 wicket haul to see the Brewers to a vital 39-run on. Lymington 194 all out.
