 Havant captain Chris Stone hits high to leg : Jack Mynott can only stand and admire. [Roy Honeybone] |  A studious Pete Hopson pierces extra-cover. |
 Fetch that ! Stuart Ransley in full cry. |  James Hayward puffs out his cheeks and bemuses four Havant batsmen during his 4-42 spell. |
South Wilts, five wickets down for 70, fought back bravely to finish ten runs adrift of Havant’s 244-5 in an absorbing tussle between the two former ECB Southern Premier Division heavyweights.
They looked out for the count with the bulk of their top order back in the Havant Park pavilion, but Ben Draper (78) and Raff Hussey (44) doubled the score with a sixth-wicket stand of 80.
Buoyed by the previous week’s unbeaten century against Bournemouth, Draper carried the fight to Havant deep into the game before becoming frustrated and, at 205-8, being caught off left-arm spinner Chris Morgan.
Even then, South Wilts refused to give up the ghost with Luke Evans and Steve Warner adding late runs to take the visitors’ reply to 234, the pair falling in quick succession.
The win came as a relief to Havant, who had lost their four previous games and, uncharacteristically, were in a bottom three slot at the start of play.
Havant’s total owed much to their skipper Chris Stone, who made an unbeaten 81 at a stage when the innings reached a potential crossroads at 167-5.
Having eased Havant to 113-1, Peter Hopson (51) and Stuart Ransley (38) were dismissed within four runs of each other – the left-arm flight of James Hayward (4-42) accounting for both batsmen and two others that followed.
But Stone, who struck a six and 11 fours, reasserted Havant’s position to give South Wilts a testing target on a pitch favouring spin.
Any realistic prospect South Wilts had of chasing down Havant’s score was considerably weakened when Tom Morton (9), Jack Mynott (5) and James Hayward (7) departed by 34-3, two of them to Richard Jerry (3-44).
Arthur Godsal (22) and young Jack Stearman were also out of the contest at 70-5.
But then came the Draper-Hussey inspired fightback which reignited the contest and had Havant, for some while, glancing anxiously at the electronic scoreboard. In the end, South Wilts fell ten runs short at 234 all out.
The second consecutive defeat dropped South Wilts to third spot, 55 points behind runaway leaders Bashley (Rydal) and all but mathematically out of the title race.
They looked out for the count with the bulk of their top order back in the Havant Park pavilion, but Ben Draper (78) and Raff Hussey (44) doubled the score with a sixth-wicket stand of 80.
Buoyed by the previous week’s unbeaten century against Bournemouth, Draper carried the fight to Havant deep into the game before becoming frustrated and, at 205-8, being caught off left-arm spinner Chris Morgan.
Even then, South Wilts refused to give up the ghost with Luke Evans and Steve Warner adding late runs to take the visitors’ reply to 234, the pair falling in quick succession.
The win came as a relief to Havant, who had lost their four previous games and, uncharacteristically, were in a bottom three slot at the start of play.
Havant’s total owed much to their skipper Chris Stone, who made an unbeaten 81 at a stage when the innings reached a potential crossroads at 167-5.
Having eased Havant to 113-1, Peter Hopson (51) and Stuart Ransley (38) were dismissed within four runs of each other – the left-arm flight of James Hayward (4-42) accounting for both batsmen and two others that followed.
But Stone, who struck a six and 11 fours, reasserted Havant’s position to give South Wilts a testing target on a pitch favouring spin.
Any realistic prospect South Wilts had of chasing down Havant’s score was considerably weakened when Tom Morton (9), Jack Mynott (5) and James Hayward (7) departed by 34-3, two of them to Richard Jerry (3-44).
Arthur Godsal (22) and young Jack Stearman were also out of the contest at 70-5.
But then came the Draper-Hussey inspired fightback which reignited the contest and had Havant, for some while, glancing anxiously at the electronic scoreboard. In the end, South Wilts fell ten runs short at 234 all out.
The second consecutive defeat dropped South Wilts to third spot, 55 points behind runaway leaders Bashley (Rydal) and all but mathematically out of the title race.
 Ben Draper plants this one into the Havant Park flower beds. |  Hold the shot ! Raff Hussey shows his prowess ... |
