
South Wilts II had slumped into the relegation places in Southern Premier League Division 2 following debilitating consecutive defeats but a resounding win over promotion prospects St Cross Symondians seconds has left them with a great chance of avoiding the drop.
South Wilts' batting has held them back all season and here again at the Green Jackets ground they were in early trouble as three wickets fell early (Matt Haworth 2-32) to leave them 39-3, but Joe Cranch [left] and Luke Hansford took the game to the hosts.
The pair put on 110 before a flurry of lbw's (James Allen 3-53) led to a slump to 185-7. Cranch hit 76 and Hansford 60 but with both gone, a potential 250 plus score was suddenly looking more like 200. Steve Booth hit a crucial 34 and Oxford University bound Ben Fisher 19 not out as South Wilts at least reached maximum points at 225-8.
Matt Burton and James Wade tore into the home batting unit. Burton picked up two early wickets and Wade had two difficult chances go begging, but from 17-2 St Cross started to rebuild.
The innings turned on a sensational catch off Booth by James Wade. Left hander Jack Middleton was looking good and at 42-2 the innings was beginning to take shape, but as he drilled an on-drive through mid-on, Wade ran and dived full length to his left to make a stunning grab. South Wilts were sparked into life, St Cross slumped visibly. Booth and Burton (3-32) ripped through the innings to leave the home side 46-6.
St Cross dug in but a fourth wicket for Booth (4-20), thanks to s smart catch from keeper Sam Pittman, and another excellent catch by Hansford off Rob Pittman left them dead and buried at 85-8. St Cross, through keeper Robbie Hadfield (36) focussed on gaining batting points and a bit of a stalemate ensued against spinners Tom Pearce and Pittman, but the return of seam saw the final wickets fall.
Wade took a deserved wicket (1-18) thanks to another fine catch, this time from Cranch and Fisher wrapped things up at 132 all out in the 44th over. Catches win matches they say and certainly the hosts will reflect on a number of chances that went begging when South Wilts claimed much more difficult opportunities.
This has been a strange division where any side can get beat another on a given date, as South Wilts have proved themselves. They need a maximum of seven points to guarantee safety on the final day and the fact that South Wilts host already relegated Langley Manor and Basingstoke & North Hants II face already promoted Totton means very little! Fair Oak (at home to St Cross Symondians) sit just one point ahead of South Wilts so they too could still be relegated.
Basingstoke, meanwhile, dropped into the bottom two after an 89-run defeat against Paultons, for whom three batsmen – Australian George Condon (63), Sam Metcalfe (53) and Robbie Pike (51 not out) - made fifties.
Despite a miserly new-ball spell of 2-8 by Mitch Stokes, Paultons’ made 221-8 – way beyond Basingstoke, who were dismissed for 132 (Josh May 36), Rob O’Brien and James Metcalfe sharing six of the wickets.
Fair Oak are far too close to the drop zone for their own liking and a 39-run defeat by Waterlooville (140) didn’t help their cause.
Charlie Gwynn, who has been linked with a move to a Premier Division club in 2020, took 4-5 off ten overs and top scored with 24 while Jon Hudson (3-18), Max Goddard (3-19) and Ash Silva (3-20) took nine Oaks wickets.
Already relegated Langley Manor fell to 139 all out (Nick Doubell 54) and a 78-run defeat by Liphook & Ripsley, whose tidy 217-8 included a half-century by Harry Munt (55).
South Wilts' batting has held them back all season and here again at the Green Jackets ground they were in early trouble as three wickets fell early (Matt Haworth 2-32) to leave them 39-3, but Joe Cranch [left] and Luke Hansford took the game to the hosts.
The pair put on 110 before a flurry of lbw's (James Allen 3-53) led to a slump to 185-7. Cranch hit 76 and Hansford 60 but with both gone, a potential 250 plus score was suddenly looking more like 200. Steve Booth hit a crucial 34 and Oxford University bound Ben Fisher 19 not out as South Wilts at least reached maximum points at 225-8.
Matt Burton and James Wade tore into the home batting unit. Burton picked up two early wickets and Wade had two difficult chances go begging, but from 17-2 St Cross started to rebuild.
The innings turned on a sensational catch off Booth by James Wade. Left hander Jack Middleton was looking good and at 42-2 the innings was beginning to take shape, but as he drilled an on-drive through mid-on, Wade ran and dived full length to his left to make a stunning grab. South Wilts were sparked into life, St Cross slumped visibly. Booth and Burton (3-32) ripped through the innings to leave the home side 46-6.
St Cross dug in but a fourth wicket for Booth (4-20), thanks to s smart catch from keeper Sam Pittman, and another excellent catch by Hansford off Rob Pittman left them dead and buried at 85-8. St Cross, through keeper Robbie Hadfield (36) focussed on gaining batting points and a bit of a stalemate ensued against spinners Tom Pearce and Pittman, but the return of seam saw the final wickets fall.
Wade took a deserved wicket (1-18) thanks to another fine catch, this time from Cranch and Fisher wrapped things up at 132 all out in the 44th over. Catches win matches they say and certainly the hosts will reflect on a number of chances that went begging when South Wilts claimed much more difficult opportunities.
This has been a strange division where any side can get beat another on a given date, as South Wilts have proved themselves. They need a maximum of seven points to guarantee safety on the final day and the fact that South Wilts host already relegated Langley Manor and Basingstoke & North Hants II face already promoted Totton means very little! Fair Oak (at home to St Cross Symondians) sit just one point ahead of South Wilts so they too could still be relegated.
Basingstoke, meanwhile, dropped into the bottom two after an 89-run defeat against Paultons, for whom three batsmen – Australian George Condon (63), Sam Metcalfe (53) and Robbie Pike (51 not out) - made fifties.
Despite a miserly new-ball spell of 2-8 by Mitch Stokes, Paultons’ made 221-8 – way beyond Basingstoke, who were dismissed for 132 (Josh May 36), Rob O’Brien and James Metcalfe sharing six of the wickets.
Fair Oak are far too close to the drop zone for their own liking and a 39-run defeat by Waterlooville (140) didn’t help their cause.
Charlie Gwynn, who has been linked with a move to a Premier Division club in 2020, took 4-5 off ten overs and top scored with 24 while Jon Hudson (3-18), Max Goddard (3-19) and Ash Silva (3-20) took nine Oaks wickets.
Already relegated Langley Manor fell to 139 all out (Nick Doubell 54) and a 78-run defeat by Liphook & Ripsley, whose tidy 217-8 included a half-century by Harry Munt (55).