Luke Evans (photo by his Grand Dad !)
James Hibberd has confessed he never looks at the league tables – even though his side are 12 points clear at the top of the ECB British Gas Southern Premier Division with two matches to go.
“I haven’t looked at the tables so far – and I’ve no plans to start looking now,” he revealed after South Wilts had maintained their lead with a relatively comfortable seven-wicket win over New Milton, who are now in serious relegation trouble.
“What I do know is that we need to win at Havant on Saturday.”
If Havant do beat their old title adversaries, then the championship be as good as sewn up before Havant go to Lymington on the last day of the season.
“I’ve said all along Havant are the team to watch and have been proved right,” Hibberd added.
The win over New Milton, which also puts South Wilts in the box seat in the 50-over pennant table, has heightened the Green & Golds’s relegation fears.
They are now only 11 points ahead of Andover (who beat Alton) and who Milton have to visit in their final match on September 1.
“We’re fighting for our lives,” confessed skipper Ryan Beck.
They certainly were after plunging to 10-3 and then 22-4 against the South Wilts new ball attack.
“It was a good toss to win, there was a bit of life in the pitch early on, but we bowled well throughout and kept the pressure on,” explained Hibberd (3-15), who nipped out three of Milton’s top four.
“To have someone like Steve Warner bowler third change just shows the strength in depth we have.”
Tom Arnold, with a gritty 33, and George Watts (20) held up South Wilts progress, but the visitors dropped from 55-5 to 83-8 with in-form Luke Evans (4-35) removing the pair.
“Luke probably didn’t bowl the best he has bowled this season but still picked up wickets. “He has improved a lot as a cricketer over the last year or so.”
Campbell Golding (27) and Ryan Beck (19) staged a brave ninth-wicket stand to give New Milton something to defend, even though it was a modest 133.
The Green & Golds didn’t go down without a fight, reducing South Wilts to 56-3.
But South Wilts’ youngsters Will Wade and Ben Draper then took control.
Hibberd revealed: “The pressure was on at 57-3 but Ben Draper took the game to New Milton with some outstanding shots, while Wadey just sat in at the other end and batted nicely.”
Wade hit an unbeaten 50 and Draper 35 in an unbroken 77-run stand.
“I haven’t looked at the tables so far – and I’ve no plans to start looking now,” he revealed after South Wilts had maintained their lead with a relatively comfortable seven-wicket win over New Milton, who are now in serious relegation trouble.
“What I do know is that we need to win at Havant on Saturday.”
If Havant do beat their old title adversaries, then the championship be as good as sewn up before Havant go to Lymington on the last day of the season.
“I’ve said all along Havant are the team to watch and have been proved right,” Hibberd added.
The win over New Milton, which also puts South Wilts in the box seat in the 50-over pennant table, has heightened the Green & Golds’s relegation fears.
They are now only 11 points ahead of Andover (who beat Alton) and who Milton have to visit in their final match on September 1.
“We’re fighting for our lives,” confessed skipper Ryan Beck.
They certainly were after plunging to 10-3 and then 22-4 against the South Wilts new ball attack.
“It was a good toss to win, there was a bit of life in the pitch early on, but we bowled well throughout and kept the pressure on,” explained Hibberd (3-15), who nipped out three of Milton’s top four.
“To have someone like Steve Warner bowler third change just shows the strength in depth we have.”
Tom Arnold, with a gritty 33, and George Watts (20) held up South Wilts progress, but the visitors dropped from 55-5 to 83-8 with in-form Luke Evans (4-35) removing the pair.
“Luke probably didn’t bowl the best he has bowled this season but still picked up wickets. “He has improved a lot as a cricketer over the last year or so.”
Campbell Golding (27) and Ryan Beck (19) staged a brave ninth-wicket stand to give New Milton something to defend, even though it was a modest 133.
The Green & Golds didn’t go down without a fight, reducing South Wilts to 56-3.
But South Wilts’ youngsters Will Wade and Ben Draper then took control.
Hibberd revealed: “The pressure was on at 57-3 but Ben Draper took the game to New Milton with some outstanding shots, while Wadey just sat in at the other end and batted nicely.”
Wade hit an unbeaten 50 and Draper 35 in an unbroken 77-run stand.
