Tom Pearce, South Wilts seconds' promotion hero [Roy Honeybone]
South Wilts seconds have regained the Southern Premier League Division 2 slot they lost at the end of last season.
Their 26-run victory in the 'winner take all' showdown against Purbrook ensured they took the runners-up spot behind runaway champions Fair Oak.
South Wilts took second place by only three points. They have been promoted despite losing seven of their 17 completed matches, the other ten of which they won.
But for all-rounder Aaron Dean, who took 4-33 and later hit an unbeaten 56, the margin of defeat might have been greater for Purbrook, who finished third.
Tom Pearce was South Wilts' batting hero, scoring an unbeaten 73 with Purbrook having worked themselves back into it after a prosperous start by Owain Phillips (40) and Joe Cranch (28).
Pearce found a reliable partner in Rob Franklin (23) and steered South Wilts towards a match winning 225-9.
Purbrook had begun the final round of matches with a healthy 11-point lead over South Wilts.
But the prospect of them winning at Wilton Road effectively disappeared by the time spin duo Rob Pittman (3-43) and Franklin, with a tidy 2-25, had reduced them to 126-8.
Dean went down fighting, however, hitting 56 not out to lift his side to an eventual 199-9.
Their 26-run victory in the 'winner take all' showdown against Purbrook ensured they took the runners-up spot behind runaway champions Fair Oak.
South Wilts took second place by only three points. They have been promoted despite losing seven of their 17 completed matches, the other ten of which they won.
But for all-rounder Aaron Dean, who took 4-33 and later hit an unbeaten 56, the margin of defeat might have been greater for Purbrook, who finished third.
Tom Pearce was South Wilts' batting hero, scoring an unbeaten 73 with Purbrook having worked themselves back into it after a prosperous start by Owain Phillips (40) and Joe Cranch (28).
Pearce found a reliable partner in Rob Franklin (23) and steered South Wilts towards a match winning 225-9.
Purbrook had begun the final round of matches with a healthy 11-point lead over South Wilts.
But the prospect of them winning at Wilton Road effectively disappeared by the time spin duo Rob Pittman (3-43) and Franklin, with a tidy 2-25, had reduced them to 126-8.
Dean went down fighting, however, hitting 56 not out to lift his side to an eventual 199-9.
