Fair Oak and St Cross Symondians seconds square up at Lapstone Park on Saturday (12.30) with a probable Southern Premier League Division 3 promotion slot the prize for the victors.
The pair lie second and third, respectively, behind table topping Langley Manor in the log, St Cross currently trailing Oaks by 11 points.
While Langley Manor were washed out against Waterlooville, their two challengers enhanced their claims – Fair Oak winning by 59 runs at relegated Ryde and St Cross Symondians making it four wins in a row by beating their Havant counterparts by five wickets.
Rufus Bullough, pictured, was the hero of Oaks win on the island, hitting a maiden Premier League 113 not out.
With Hampshire Under-14s starlet Fletcha Middleton (50) providing invaluable support, the former Peter Symonds College student hauled Fair Oak out of the mire after Matt Webb (3-26) had struck early blows with the new ball.
Gradually the pair turned the tide, with a near century stand which largely set up Oaks’ 239-8.
Bullough, who has been playing for Old Elizabethans to coincide with his drama studies at Worcester University, went on to smack three sixes and 13 fours in a career best knock.
Initially, Ryde made a decent fist of chasing down the target, with Ben Wadmore (42), Sam Rockey (28) and Cameron Mitchell (26) taking their response to 112-1.
But Ryde’s reply fell apart against off-spinner Rhys Oxley, whose 5-19 return triggered a collapse which saw the last nine wickets fall for 59 runs and the already doomed island team sink to 171 all out.
Steve Mitchell (3-24) plunged Havant II into trouble at 14-4 and later 42-7 before Graham Burns (38) and Jack Davies (24) rallied to lift the final total to 119 against St Cross Symondians II at the Green Jackets.
Matt Howarth (3-40) and Harry Trussler (2-18) cut through the lower order before a sound start by Paul Hawkins (45) and Graham Barrett (25) laid the foundations for a home five-wicket win

Ventnor’s relegation was inevitable some time ago, but skipper Rob Snell reckons the experience his young players are gaining from Premier Division cricket is invaluable.
The eight-wicket defeat by Alton at Newclose was Ventnor’s 13th in succession.
“But we fielded seven teenagers and whilst I accept it’s no fun losing every week, they will all benefit enormously from the opportunities they are getting,” Snell said.
“We can’t accept them to compete on a weekly basis, but almost every match one of them stands up and makes his mark – and that’s got to be encouraging.”
Young Ben Herridge, who made a steady 40 at the top of the order, showed his potential with a tidy knock which helped Ventnor post 213-8 against the Brewers.
The main substance of the innings came from Australian Alex Glendenning (56) and Snell, with 36.
Toby Corbin struck an early blow for Ventnor, but Dan Hutton (86) and Scott Myers added 174 before the islanders enjoyed another success.  Myers (65) and Michael Heffernan (26) completed the formalities.

Bashley (Rydal) seamer Jake Lilley took three wickets in an over to trigger a mass collapse by the Hampshire Academy, whose last seven batsmen perished for 31 runs.
At 204-3, the Academy were seriously threatening title chasing Bashley’s 266-8.
But, brought back for his second spell, one-time Academy hopeful Lilley (4-43) clean bowled three Academy batsmen and had a fourth caught as the young Hampshire hopefuls crashed to 235 all out.
Openers Brad Taylor (57) and Felix Organ (51) hit half-centuries at the top of the order as the Academy moved purposefully towards their target.
Jake Goodwin (26) and Elijah Samuel (51) strengthened their position – but then Lilley struck and Sam Thomson (2-46) came on to mop up the tail.
Bashley’s total was built around a solid start initiated by Tom Gates (53) and Simon Ridley (27), but had Gavin Bailiff (57) and Michael Porter (51) taken their respective scores beyond the fifty mark, the total might have been substantially higher.
Terry Nash photograph of Jake Lilley

Ryan Scott hit a half-century and Ed Ellis an unbeaten 49 as Lymington cruised to a six-wicket win over Southern Premier League rivals St Cross Symondians at the Sports Ground.
Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove's son Jack led St Cross from an uncertain 147-7 (Luke Kimber 37) with a typically lively 58.
But his side's modest 206-9 proved easy pickings for Lymington, who were boosted by Scott's 59 at the top of the innings.
Scott enjoyed an 84-run stand with Richard Lock (42) before Ellis made 49 not out and Dom Hand an unbeaten 21 to guide Lymington to victory.
New Milton skipper James Park and his brother Nick are believed to have left  the Green & Golds, who put their troubles behind them to win by 17 runs at Alton.
The Brewers seemed to be on course to overhaul Milton's 159-9 (Tom Arnold 32) at 85-2 (Scott Myers 48), but tumbled to 142 all out.
Alton spinner Julian Ballinger boosted his prospects of catching Lymington all-rounder Matt Metcalfe in the bowling stakes with a 4-37 haul.

Three points continue to separate Sarisbury Athletic and Hook & Newnham Basics, who are scrapping it out for the Southern Premier League Division 1 title.
Leaders Sarisbury posted a towering 347-4 before crushing relegation bound Totton & Eling by 295 runs at Southern Gardens.
But Hook were forced to sweat out an all-too-close six run win over Liphook & Ripsley after the East Hants side made 251 chasing the visitors’ 257-7.
Basil Akram (76) and Matt Journeaux (44) set the scene for a Sarisbury run glut, sharing an opening stand of 126 at brake neck speed. 
The openers were back in the pavilion at 136-2, but that was the cue for Harry Hovey (91) and left-hander Jack Lovett (75) to blaze a 142-run stand, the pair hitting four sixes and 21 fours between them.
A quck-fire knock from Sam Floyd (35) saw Sarisbury to 347-4.
Batted and bruised in the field, Totton simply fell apart, six batsmen collecting ducks as Shayne Freemantle bagged 5-15 in their 52 all out.
Liphook & Ripsley, whose season has faded after a bright three-match winning start, were poised to put a serious dent in Hook & Newnham Basics’ title ambitions – until they suffered a mass batting collapse.
Chasing Hook’s 257-7, they were confident of winning at 228-3 – but lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs !
Farnborough Sixth Form College student Harry Warner almost celebrated his SPL debut with a century, carrying his bat for 94 as Hook made 257-7 at Ripsley Park.
Harry Came (23), Matt Love (21) and later Jordan Hobday (39) and Matt Buckingham (34) batted around him to gove Hook a maximum batting bonus point haul.
Giles Cover led Liphook’s reply with 102 (two sixes and 13 fours), initially enjoying a fruitful partnership with Gab Broadhurst (34) and then Suman Ganguly, whose run-a-ball 56 put Liphook in with a great shout.
But a remarkable collapse saw Liphook’s innings disintegrate and the side slump to 251 all out.
Third-placed Andover bounced back from their previous week’s mauling at Sarisbury to beat visiting OTs & Romsey by 163 runs.
Andover’s batsmen had failed at Allotment Road, but with James O’Gorman hitting 85 and Will Arnold an unbeaten 61, they posted 258-6 at London Road.
Iain Woodall (43), Harry Tulk (38) and Elliot Mitchell-Lea (35) responded, but a five-wicket spell by Babu Veettil (5-30) saw the visitors dismissed for 185.
Teenage Western Australian Fraser Hay blasted the Bournemouth bowlers for a sizzling 159 in the Southsea sunshine, where Portsmouth won by 57 runs.
Hay, who plays First Grade cricket for Melville in Perth and who has been playing regularly for Hampshire Second XI this season, smashed five sixes and 21 fours in his 159, which pointed Portsmouth to 249 all out.
Chris Park (55) and Ben Brigden (47) replied for Bournemouth, who were undone by Vickram Dawson (5-26) and Rajeev Verma (4-40), and bowled out for 192.
Basingstoke &  North Hants left-hander Craig Williamson hit a season’s best 94 to carry the Bountymen to a seven-wicket win at Rowledge, who earlier made 203 (Sam Moseley 50).

Trojans are suffering from a serious case of the jitters as the Southern Premier League Division 2 title race hots up.
After winning their first eight games, Trojans looked nailed-on certainties to win the league.
But two defeats in the past three weeks – and a demanding run-in ahead – Trojans’ are asking questions of themselves.
Their lead at the top was trimmed to a mere eight points by a 14-run defeat by Sparsholt.
After beating Tichborne Park, second placed Calmore Sports are now fancying their own chances, though everything will hinge on the outcome of Trojans’ visit to Loperwood Park on August 20.
Trojans were left kicking themselves after letting Sparsholt off the hook at 43-5 and later 111-8 (Jamie Donaldson 3-26).
James Keoch (35) and former Colden Common all-rounder Chris Mitchell (23) lifted Sparsholt to 159 all out – a total Trojans failed to match.
Dan Babidge (38) and Ed Pope (25) guided their response to 94-3, but Trojans lower order fell apart and they were bowled out for 135.
Teenage left-hander Ben Johns (51) piloted Calmore Sports to a five-wicket win over Tichborne Park, who stumbled from 94-3 to 153 all out.
Mark Lavelle (3-25), Paul Proudley (3-36) and Mike West (2-20) did the damage for Calmore, who were guided home by Ben Moss (27) and James Rose (25).
Fourth placed Hambledon looked anything like promotion contenders as they plunged to 102-7 (Shane Nkomo 42) and an eventual 166 all out at Bemerton.
South Wilts II didn’t experience too many problems polishing off the target, Sam Arnold hitting 42 not out.
Bashley (Rydal) II secured a third successive win when they beat New Forest relegation rivals Fawley by 64 runs – but they are still in the bottom two !
Phil Morris (50) and Ross Grierson (40) secured Bashley’s position at 102-1 at Waterside, where a total of 190-8 proved beyond Fawley.
Andy Parratt (41) and Callum Earl (29) responded, but three-wicket stints by Neil Taylor (3-10) and young Patrick Holly (3-32) bowled Fawley out for 136.
Bottom of the pile Paultons ended a four-match losing streak with a desperately needed 53-run win at Hartley Wintney.
Scott Hills struck a maiden 101 to guide Paultons to 239 (Nigel Feltham 45) before James Holgate (5-56) toasted his first five-wicket haul to bowl HW out for 186 (Danny Plume 75).

Langley Manor flexed their muscles for Saturday’s potential Southern Premier League Division 3 title decider at Fair Oak with a comfortable 107-run victory over lowly Havant II at Knellers Lane.
Jack Budd (72) and Azeem Hamid, with a lively 58 (including two sixes and five fours) led the way as Langley posted a healthy 278-6.
Once Andrew Galliers (30) and Harry Gadd (29) were dismissed, Havant’s reply fell away and Hampshire Under-16 spinner Tommy Spencer weighed in with a 4-31 return.
The Manor will go to Lapstone Park with a commanding 35-point lead. Victory over second placed Oaks will put them in a virtually unassailable position.
Fair Oak suffered early losses in the second v third duel with Basingstoke & North Hants II at May’s Bounty.
But Ed Kemp (58) and the reliable Asad Abbas (59) steadied the nerves of 24-2 and with contributions from Richard Featherstone (29) and Ross Stewart (21) Oaks pushed on. 
A rapid 25 from KES student Greg McKenzie off 11 balls gave Oaks a competitive 242-8.
Basingstoke lost experienced duo Chris Froud and Steve Bucksey cheaply, but teenager Max Harsham (with six fours in his 36) remained a danger until he fell to Hampshire Under-17 left-arm spinner Charlie Gwynn (3-3-32), who also captured the key wicket of Brad Neal (23), who had punished Fair Oak earlier in the season.
At 127-7 it looked set for an early finish, but a late 55 partnership between Harry Smith (41) and Ash Neal took Basingstoke on to 188 before Asad Abbas (3-39) and Ross Stewart took the final wickets. 
St Cross Symondians are hovering on Fair Oak’s shoulders and lie eight points behind in third place after comfortable six-wicket win over Hursley Park at the Green Jackets Ground.
Hursley, one of four sides under the threat of being relegated alongside Ryde, were indebted to skipper Nick Wheeler for their modest 139 all out.
They were in desperate straits at 77-7 after three wickets spells by Matt Perry-Lewis and Dave Orchand, but Wheeler (38) and Tim Bacon at least gave the bowlers some hope.
That was until Hursley sent down 41 wides !
Their profligate work with the ball left Paul Hawkins (29) and Orchard (28) with little batting to do.
Lymington II’s 65-run win at Harding Shute effectively ended any slim prospects Ryde have of avoiding an immediate return to the Hampshire League. It also boosted their own SPL3 survival prospects.
Drew Robinson (95) led the way as Lymington piled up 242-8, with Jack Roberts (46) and Conor Moors (34) in support.
Ryde lost Josh Procter through injury, depleting their already thin batting and bowling resources.
Ben Gregory (58) and Cameron Mitchell (48) rallied, but three wickets each for Chris Blake and Adie Hunt left the islanders’ 177 all out.
Waterlooville are only four points ahead of Lymington II in the relegation scrap after a 133-run tousing at Gosport Borough.
New Zealander Mike Ruffell (76), Tom Larner (49) and Archie Styles (39) helped Gosport reach 275-8, but the Ville could only manage 142 in reply.

Hook & Newnham Basics are once again in the thick of the Southern Premier League Division 1 title race – but look to have their work cut out if they are to better last season’s runners-up position.
Edged into second place in last year’s ‘winner take all’ title showdown with New Milton, Hook look to be vying with Sarisbury Athletic and Andover for the crown.
Hook appeared out of the altogether after losing their first three games, after which they could barely win a game at their KGV home.
But they’ve put that awful start behind them and have won seven of their last eight matches – a run they’ll need to take into a demanding finale.
Hook’s run, which includes key games with Andover, Bournemouth and then Basingstoke on the final day of the season, is far more testing than the others.
Remaining games -
Sarisbury Athletic: Rowledge [h], Portsmouth [a], Liphook & Ripsley [h], Bournemouth [a].
Hook: Andover [h], Bournemouth [a], Totton & Eling [h], Basingstoke & North Hants [h].
Andover: Hook [h], Totton & Eling [a], Rowledge [h], Portsmouth [a].
But such has been the variance of results in SPL1 all summer, Basingstoke & North Hants and Portsmouth might still have a say before the final curtain falls.
It all adds up to a fascinating end to the summer ..

A clean-cut century by South Australian teenager Jake Winter climaxed a thrilling 128-run win over Lymington, which South Wilts clinched with only eight balls to spare.
Winter stroked a classy 109 as South Wilts posted 305-7 declared and gave themselves 58 overs to bowl the visitors’ out.
But Lymington effectively shut up shop and played for a draw from 135-7 onwards, leaving South Wilts a teasing and testing final hour to push for victory, writes Mike Vimpany.
Lymington’s lower order put up a solid rearguard action, but South Wilts finally broke their resistance in the penultimate over when James Hibberd bowled last man Matt Metcalfe to leave the visitors 177 all out.
“The wicket and the win was critical as our season – and chances of retaining the Premier Division title – are going to hinge on what happens when we visit Havant next Saturday,” vice-captain Hibberd explained.
“We’re effectively 20 points behind Havant, so we’ve got to beat them. It’s as simple as that.”
Winter has emerged from a shaky spell with the bat to demonstrate the class that has already seen the Adelaide youngster capped by Australia at Under-19 level.
“He’s had a few technical issues with his batting, but has now gone back to his natural game and hits the ball as cleanly as a full-time professional, which we wants to become,” Hibberd continued.
“Jake struck it beautifully against Lymington, particularly straight and on the off-side.”
Winter plundered three sixes and 14 fours in a classy run-a-ball 109.
His opening stand with the ever-consistent Jack Mynott (64) yielded 166 and set South Wilts up for a 300-plus total.
“Everyone chipped in after that,” Hibberd added. “It was always a case if we could bowl them out.”
Ryan Scott (40) and Ben Rogers (23) gave Lymington a decent start, but the visitors became bogged down against some decent South Wilts bowling.
“I think it’s fair to say our seamers got more out of the pitch than they did, with Steve Warner bowling a pretty hostile spell at one point and Luke Evans (2-35) bowling a good spell too.”
But when Ed Ellis (31) was bowled by Rob Franklin (135-7), Lymington put up the barricades.
“They packed their side with batting, Felix Ambrose at eight and Matt Metcalfe last, so we had plenty of work to do,” Hibberd said.
Lymington’s last three wickets fell at 165, 166 and 177, but South Wilts bowled a lot of balls between those runs.
Hibberd (3-14) eventually broke the back of the resistance and South Wilts wildly celebrated a crucial win when he bowled Metcalfe with just eight balls of the game to go.

Andy Gorvin, Havant’s young stand-in captain, led from the front, taking five wickets and then making an unbeaten half-century as the Premier Division top dogs strengthened their claim to top place with a comfortable win over Ventnor at Newclose.
The Cardiff University bound all-rounder followed up a 5-34 return with the ball by making 54 not out as Havant chased down a moderate 180 to win by six wickets. 
Gorvin was skippering as Havant captain Ben Walker is currently serving a two-match suspension.
It looked as though it might be a doddle for the current leaders when Gorvin and Cam Prentice (2-48) reduced rock bottom Ventnor to 42-6.
But Toby Corbin (21) and Mark Holmes (16) kick started lower-order resistance which was climaxed by teenager Ross Whyte hitting a patient and maiden 64 which, with the aid of the tail, saw Ventnor’s total swell to 180.
Havant lost two cheap wickets to Australian Alex Glendenning, but Peter Hopson, out of touch and without a significant score since making 63 against Bashley (Rydal) in mid-May, took control of the situation.
He spent an invaluable 132-balls at the crease, hitting a six and 12 fours in a key 94, his best SPL score since making a century against Lymington in June 2014.
Hopson’s 144-run stand with Gorvin condemned Ventnor to an eight straight defeat.

England Under-19 World Cup captain Brad Taylor celebrated his maiden competitive century, scoring an unbeaten 118 as the Hampshire Academy comfortably chased down 245 to beat St Cross Symondians by six wickets on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground.
Taylor’s chanceless hundred included one six and 19 fours and guided the Academy to a third straight Southern Premier Division victory.
“It was a terrific knock, but one Brad needs to make if he is to establish himself as an all-rounder in both facets of the game,” remarked Hampshire Head of Player Development, Charlie Freeston.
Taylor lost opening partner Felix Organ without scoring, but shared a century partnership with Under-17 starlet Tom Scriven, who struck 11 boundaries in his 58. 
Scriven had made an individual Hampshire junior age group record 288 against Devon in the ECB Under-17 County Championship in his previous knock.
Josh McCoy returned from England Under-19 squad duty against Sri Lanka – he made his debut in the second unofficial ‘Test’ at Northampton this week - to make 43 and add another 87 with Taylor and take the Academy to within sight of victory.
Fittingly, Taylor [pictured by Roy Honeybone] raced through the nineties and on to his unbeaten 118 with a flurry of clean-cut boundaries.
The Academy had seized the initiative during the morning session and had St Cross Symondians struggling at 125-5 at lunch.
Tom Foyle (30) punished anything in the ‘slot’ and smashed it to the boundary rope but, like team-mates Louis Kimber (28), Charlie Ayres (27) and Greg Hollis (26), he made a decent start without progressing.
It left Robbie Hadfield (46 not out) and Brad Aldridge (26) to score important runs after lunch.
But 245 on the Nursery Ground – where Taylor and Chris Searle each took three wickets – was never likely to be competitive and so it proved …

JUBILANT chairman John Neal hailed skipper Michael Porter after he had led Bashley (Rydal) to ECB Southern Premier League Time pennant glory.
Bashley, winners in 2006, broke South Wilts’ recent monopoly having remained unbeaten in their eight timed games in the Premier Division.
The New Forest club added a fifth victory to their two draws and one tie when they registered a seven-wicket win over Alton at BCG, writes Neil Perrett.
Third last season and runners-up in 2013, Bashley topped the pile in Porter’s first season as captain, the 21-year-old having taken the reins from Simon Watkins, who stepped in briefly to replace Richard Morris.
Neal said: “Michael is mature beyond his age, both as a cricketer and as a man.
“He took on a difficult job after Richard Morris had left. He was a hard act to follow but Michael has done it in his own way.
“He is a bit more laid back but the players know who is boss. Even the older ones like Kevin Nash, Andy Neal and Neil Thurgood have a lot of respect for him.
“He does it his own way. He is very respectful and listens to what older people tell him but he picks the side he wants.
“His captaincy is a work in progress but I think he will do well. He seems to have had success with every team he has skippered and I wouldn’t be surprised if he were to end up as captain of Dorset one day.”
Porter (36) remained undefeated as Bashley made light work of chasing Alton’s 229 for eight to maintain their challenge for a first SPL title.
He came to the crease after Tom Gates (47) and Simon Ridley (60) had shared 83 for the first wicket and Ridley and Chris Vaughan (36) had taken the score to 142.
And after Ridley had departed, Porter and Gav Bailiff (42) put on an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 77 as Bashley timed their reply to perfection.
Earlier, Michael Heffernan (80) and elder brother Mark (38) had lifted Alton from 73-4 to 229-8, with Josh Digby taking 3-72.
Asked whether he felt Bashley could push on and win the overall title, Neal said: “I’d be surprised if anybody were to finish above Havant. With their batting line-up, I can’t see how they are going to lose another game.
“But our lads are determined to give it a go. We will push them and so will South Wilts and Burridge. I think it is between the four of us and with five games to play, you never know.”

Nick McMurray toasted a maiden ECB Southern Premier Division five-wicket haul as Burridge pumped up the pressure at the top by thrashing New Milton at Fernhill.
The lanky pace bowler took 5-37 and Geoff Dods 3-15 as Burridge skittled the Green & Golds for a dismal 76 before romping to a nine-wicket win.
McMurray, part of a tasty four-man Burridge pace attack, whipped out openers Tom Arnold and Dave Wakefield.
With new ball partner Dan Stancliffe trapping Nick Park leg before, Milton were soon reeling at 19-3.
Last year’s Division 1 champions lost a wicket every ten runs or so after that, with only two batsmen making double figures.
McMurray [pictured by Roy Honeybone] removed five of New Milton’s top seven batsmen before South African Dods took 3-15 as the last four wickets fell for nine runs.
New Milton had little prospect of defending 76, but George Watts did produce a ray of light by having Burridge opener Dan Hewitt caught behind for one.
But Rick Ankers (30) and an eight-four 40 not out by Joe Collings-Wells completed the formalities in quick time to give Burridge a 24-point win.

Sarisbury Athletic leapt back to the Southern Premier League Division 1 summit after shattering Andover’s recent six-match winning run in emphatic style at Allotment Road.
They rolled the Lions out for 95 to win by 132 runs, having posted a decent 227-7 on the back of a key knock by left-hander Jack Lovett, left.
The victory took Sarisbury back above Andover and three points ahead of Hook & Newnham Basics, who steamrollered all but mathematically relegated OTs & Romsey by seven wickets.
Lovett hit 94 (one six and 14 fours) and shared a significant century third-wicket stand with Harry Hovey (42) before Chris Sanders clipped a crisp 31 not out for the hosts.
Babu Veettil took 4-41 for Andover, who dipped to 25-4 against Jason Allmark (3-23) and Shayne Freemantle (2-22).
Wickets fell at regular intervals after that, with the canny Paul Jewell returning 5-21.

SKIPPER Martin Miller was again left to rue seeing Bournemouth finish on the wrong end of a dramatic conclusion – and believes they may have blown their promotion chances.
The Lions, beaten by Division One rivals Andover off the penultimate ball a fortnight earlier, agonisingly lost a thrilling last-ball decider by one run against Rowledge at Chapel Gate on Saturday.
Chasing Rowledge’s 215 for eight, Bournemouth had Matt Jones superbly caught on the boundary in the final over before last pair Dave Kinder and Dom Clutterbuck were unable to see them home.
Miller reflected: "It was another great game for the neutral but we were disappointed we finished on the wrong side of it.
“It was difficult to pinpoint the reason why we didn’t win but we had our chances in the field which we didn’t take and we probably didn’t bowl as well as we can. When we batted, four of us got in and then got out and didn’t see us across the line.
“At one stage, we needed just over a run a ball and would probably back ourselves to get it but we lost wickets.
“Matt Jones almost did it for us but was caught just inside the boundary. Dave Kidner hit his first ball for four and needed to do the same with the last ball. He almost got it to the boundary but it was stopped by a fielder and we couldn’t get back for a second run to get the tie.”
Bournemouth made an encouraging start when Rowledge opener Nick Morant was caught behind by Chris Park off the fourth ball of Jem Warner’s first over of the match.
But useful contributions from Sushant Balajee (55), David Lloyd (47) and Chris Board (44) took them to 215 for eight from their 50 overs with Jake Hurley (4-41) and Clutterbuck (2-33) also among the wickets.
Miller (43) and Tom West (37) put on 84 for the first wicket in reply before Luke Matthews (29) and Chris Park (43) guided Bournemouth to 172 for three.
Needing 78 from the final 10 overs, Bournemouth kept pace with the rate but also lost four wickets for the addition of 16 runs and wobbled to 188 for seven.
A single off the first ball of the last over was followed by Jones’s demise, leaving Lions requiring six from the last four balls – and they could only manage four.
Miller added: “It is still close but it is going to be difficult to get promoted from here. Had we beaten Rowledge and Andover, we would have been top. You really need to win games like those if you are to stand a chance of going up.”      Neil Perrett, Bournemouth Echo.

Time is running out for Totton & Eling to save their Southern Premier League, Division 1 status.
They must win at least two of their remaining five games if they are to climb above fellow strugglers Liphook & Ripsley - who are effectively 28 points ahead of them – into a third-from-bottom safety spot.
Totton fell apart against Basingstoke’s new-ball pair Martyn James (3-19) and Mitch Stokes (2-18) at Southern Gardens.
Ollie Perrin (27) tried to glue things together and it needed a plucky seventh-wicket partnership between Kumodak Sharma (22) and Ethan Taylor (20) to lift Totton from 64-6 before Matthew Thankachan (2-24) and Ryan Connor (2-8) ended the innings at 125 all out.
Zimbabwean Mark Mbofana dismissed Dan Belcher, but a Basingstoke win was always inevitable, with Richard Vinn (37 not out) and Stokes (27) adding 43 before Will Phillips [pictured above by the Basingstoke Gazette] hit a six and six boundaries in an unbeaten 46 to finish things.
Old Tauntonians & Romsey plunged from 49-1 to 110 against rampant Hook & Newnham Basics at the KGV.
They made a sound enough start, but were unsettled by the twin spin of Aniket Divecha (3-31) and left-armer Kevin Poulter, who took 2-0 off his seven overs.
Iain Woodhall (40) battled on, but Kieran Thomson (3-10) cut through the lower-order to end the visitors’ innings at 110.
Ben Thane went cheaply, but Harry Came (42) and Thomson (32) added 62 for the second wicket to effectively seal Hook’s win.

 
 

Trojans have taken a firm grip on the Southern Premier League, Division 2 title race and, with five matches left, are 24 points ahead at the top.
They bounced back from a surprise defeat at Fawley to trounce Hartley Wintney by nine wickets, with Dan Babidge hitting a century. 
Trojans benefitted by their two closest challengers, Calmore Sports and Tichborne Park, both losing.
Babidge, pictured, smashed four sixes and 16 fours in a blistering unbeaten hundred which swept Trojans past Hartley Wintney’s 191 with 12 overs to spare at Stoneham lane.
He shared a 51-run launch with Ed Boyd (26) and then an unbroken 143-run stand with James Truscott (47).
Earlier, HW recovered from 47-3 and 139-8 to reach 191 (Ed Pope 3-16), with Louis Lynch (36) and Jack Hersh (33) top scoring.
Calmore Sports never recovered from an early three-wicket blast by Rob Pittman (3-11) and were sent crashing to defeat by South Wilts seconds at Bemerton.
Pittman removed skipper Mark Lavelle, Matt Hardy and Australian Ben Moss with the new ball to leave Calmore a desperate 17-3.
Teenage left-hander Ben Johns (41) responded and Michael Cook (28) rallied the middle-order, but South Wilts kept chipping away, with William Wade (3-43) and Tom Pearce (2-36) pegging the visitors to 174-9.
Left-armer Steve Wright (0-6) sent down a miserly ten-over spell, but South Wilts were never in a rush.
Wade, with an unbeaten 77, and Sam Arnold (46 not out) shared an unbeaten century stand to guide the Salisbury club home with seven overs to spare.
Tichborne Park’s four-wicket defeat by summer-long strugglers Bashley (Rydal) II was even more of a surprise.
Bashley did, though, have injured first team seamers Kevin Nash (3-25) and Andy Neal sharing the new ball – so Tichborne duly found runs hard to score.
Only Will Allam (32) made over 20 as spinner Ryan Macciocchi (4-18) cut through their lower order to leave Tichborne 140 all out.
Tichborne looked capable of turning the match on its head and, with Justin Reid (4-17) reducing Bashley’s reply to 68-6, the Alresford club looked favourites to win.
But there is no shortage of depth in a resurgent Bashley batting line up and seven-wicket duo Macciocchi (40) and Neil Taylor (27 not out) added 73 to get the New Forest side across the line.
Bashley’s win and a three-wicket loss to Fawley has put Paultons in desperate trouble at the bottom.
Paultons made 189 (Nigel Feltham 50), but a century opening partnership between Paul Marks (56) and Andy Parratt (53) paved the way to a crucial win for the Watersiders.

 

Langley Manor are hot favourites to lift the Southern Premier League Division 3 title.
Going into the five-match home straight, they are a massive 36 points clear at the top.
They overwhelmed relegation threatened Lymington II, rushing the New Forest club out for a dismal 66 before romping to a ten-wicket win.
Ali Cheyne (3-12) did the initial damage for the Manor, while Azeem Hamid ripped out the tail, with a 5-15 return.
Connor Browne (35) and Dave Castle (25) completed the formalities.
Langley’s leadership position was strengthened by defeats for Fair Oak and Basingstoke & North Hants II, the second and third placed clubs.
Fair Oak were chopped down by Gosport Borough, for whom Lee Harrop hit 101 in a 228-run total.
Oaks were unable to respond, with only Will Brewster (42), Charlie Gwynne (39) and Ross Stewart (34) shining in a 178 reply.
Unable to travel to the Isle of Wight with Havant’s first team, Richard Hindley (89) was hugely influential in Havant II’s 51-run win over Basingstoke.
Hursley Park’s prospects of survival increased with a 45-run win over Waterlooville – Zimbabwean Boswell Chapungu 89 and 3-50 the key player – while Ryde are all but down after losing by 138 runs to St Cross Symondians II, for whom Paul Hawkins made 89 and Matt Perry-Lewis took 5-33.
 

South Wilts rebooted their stuttering ECB Southern Premier League title defence with a 309-run fest against St Cross Symondians, who were beaten by 116 runs at the Green Jackets Ground.
James Hayward, Jake Winter and Joe Cranch all came to the party for South Wilts, who had won only once in the previous five weeks.
Winter had struggled in unfamiliar damp batting conditions, scoring only 45 runs in his previous four knocks but produced some sparking South Australian stroke play on Winchester’s lovely tree lined ground.
He took a particular liking to Joe Weatherley’s off-spin, hitting a six and 13 boundaries in an enterprising 74 off 50 balls which lit up the morning’s play. He is pictured above by Roy Honeybone.
Weatherley’s 20-overs went for 101, with Hayward navigating his way to 86 and Cranch 72 in a century partnership which took the game completely away from St Cross.
James Hibberd lofted three sixes in a quick fire 35 before South Wilts closed at 309-8.
St Cross were on the back foot directly Steve Warner (3-40) removed both openers and at 63-4 with Hampshire’s Joe Weatherley (28) among those back in the pavilion, the contest was effectively over.
Greg Hollins (47) and Charlie Ayres (41) fought back, but once they were parted, South Wilts took wickets at regular intervals and went on to dismiss their hosts for 193, with Luke Evans taking 3-23.
 
 

Sully White took three wickets in an astonishing final maiden over of the match as Burridge and Bashley (Rydal) drew their ECB Southern Premier Division title joust with the scores level at 190 runs each.
Bashley began the last over on 189-6 and needed only two more runs to win an already absorbing Time pennant match between the second and third placed teams in the log when White produced his triple-wicket feat. 
First, Chris Ridley, who alongside sixth-wicket partner Tom Jacques (37) had swung the match back in Bashley’s favour, spooned a simple catch to square-leg playing a ‘ramp’ shot.
Almost immediately Josh Digby was caught behind (189-8), but then – amid massive appeals from the pumped up Burridge fielders - tail-end teen Brad Currie scrambled a leg bye to level the scores.
It left Dorset’s Sam Thomson needing one run to win off the final ball.
But the spinner had his stumps flattened as White punched the air and was mobbed by his team-mates as he celebrated his maiden five-wicket haul in Premier League cricket.
“When we began that last over, we needed two runs to win and four wickets left.
“It was a no-brainer. We should have won.
“But full credit to Sully (White), who bowled full and straight and got his just rewards,” reflected a disappointed Bashley captain Michael Porter.
It was the third match running Bashley had been involved in a last-ball decider and then second time the scores had finished level.
Unlike the recent Lymington tie when both teams were bowled out, however, the Burridge match was drawn as Bashley (Rydal) were only nine wickets down at the close.
A thrilling finale was on the cards throughout a match which swung back and forth from the outset.
Burridge were 89-6 at lunch and 103-7 soon after – Gavin Bailiff (4-53) and Currie (2-27) having caused the damage – but half-centuries by former Hampshire all-rounder Lee Savident and later Dan Stancliffe revived their fortunes.
Savident, pictured, hit eight fours in his 58, but had to play a watchful role as wickets tumbled.
But when he fell to a stinging return catch by Bailiff at 156 and White perished to the Zimbabwean five runs later, Burridge tottered at 161-9.
Stancliffe was already well in his stride by then and, with three ‘maximums’ alongside four boundaries in his maiden SPL 59 not out, he guided the surprise title challengers to a competitive 190 all out.
Simon Ridley (24) and Chris Vaughan (37) eased Bashley’s reply to 80-1, but a collapse saw the visitors totter at 103-5.
Jacques (37) and Ridley (35) revived Bashley’s prospects by adding 75 and when the former Parley batsman nicked a catch behind off White the visitors still only needed 13 off three overs and then nine from the last two.
Ridley (35) appeared to have matters in hand, but when it got down to Bashley needing two runs off that fateful final over, White weighed in with his triple wicket maiden to level the match.
“Sully bowled full and quick and produced two or three outstanding nuts at the end,” praised Burridge skipper Rick Ankers.
“It was a fantastic piece of bowling in a demanding scenario.”
Quite how critical White's final over will be come September 3 when the prizes are dished out remains to be seen, but Bashley (Rydal) may reflect on it all winter long ...

HOOK and Newnham Basics moved into the Southern League Division One promotion shake-up, after a five-wicket win at Portsmouth, who are fading out of the title race after a terrific start.
Ben Thane and Matt Buckingham were Hook’s heroes, rescuing their side from an uncertain 75-5 after Portsmouth had been bowled out for 115.
Portsmouth soon lost openers Fraser Hay and William Smitherman, both caught behind by stand-in wicketkeeper Matt Buckingham, off the bowling of Shane Brewer (2-26).
They continued to find life tough with the bat and were soon 88-7, as left-armer Kevin Poulter (2-18) took two wickets in as many balls.
From there the Southsea side moved past 100, but from 112-7 they were all out for 117 as Harry Came struck twice.
Vikram Dawson finished Portsmouth’s top scorer with an unbeaten 22.
As well as a brace of wickets for Brewer, Poulter and Came, there were single dismissals for Jordan Hobday, Kieran Thomson, Anik Devicha and Rhodes Franklin, as all seven bowlers used took wickets.
A match winning innings from Ben Thane, pictured, with a superb unbeaten 81 steered Hook to victory, even if Andrew Marston took 5-18 with his left-arm spin.
He was unable to dismiss opener Thane, whose 90 ball knock, saw him hit two sixes and 15 fours.
Having reached 75-5, it was left to Thane and Buckingham to bring the side home in the 29th over.
Hook are now tucked in behind Andover, who consolidated their leadership potential with a ten-run win over Basingstoke & North Hants at London Road.
The Lions successfully defended 248-5 as Basingstoke, fuelled by an undefeated 89 from Will Phillips, too the North Hants derby to the wire.
Andover’s top order batted consistently, with Army left-hander Storm Green (51) making a half-century on debut and enjoying a 65-run launch with Ali Hooper (34).
Glyn Treagus (30) and Kiwi James O’Gorman (47) shone before Matt Knight’s 28 pushed Andover on to 248-5.
Dan Belcher (30) and Craig Williamson (29) provided Basingstoke with a bright start, but it was Phillips, in only his second match since returning from Durham University, who kept the game alive, hitting a six and six boundaries in his 89 not out.
Brad Neal (28) gave support, but in the end the task proved too great and the Bountymen finished ten runs adrift at 238 all out.
Captain Martin Miller beamed with pride as promotion chasing Bournemouth’s top guns paved the way for a blistering batting display against Totton & Eling at Southern Gardens
Lions duo Ben Bridgen (95) and Luke Matthews (71) racked up 118 for the second wicket with the healthy total allowing Chris Park to lash 38 off 21 deliveries.
Ryan Wiltshire followed suit with 28 from 22 balls as Bournemouth set a stellar target of 291-8 against a Totton side facing a huge task if its to avoid relegation from Premier 1.
Zimbabwean opener Mark Mbofana carried the fight with 54 from 43 balls, including five sixes, but once leg spinner Jem Warner (4-32) had taken out the top two, it was plain sailing.
“We have talked all year about the top four building a platform for the lower order to express themselves and this was a fantastic example of how to do that,” said Miller.
“Ben and Luke set up the other guys to just go and have a whack. It is a great pitch with a quick outfield and relatively short boundary at Totton and we cashed in.
“I think we hit 129 off the last 14 overs which was some acceleration and that knocked the stuffing out of them.
“It meant they had to come out all guns blazing from the start and to be fair to them, they did. They were up with the rate but just lost wickets.
“Jem took out the openers and after that, it was a case of when rather than if we would win.”
Jake Hurley weighed in with 3-14 as Totton fell to 163 all out and a 128-run defeat, which leaves them second from bottom in SPL1, 19 points behind Liphook & Ripsley.
Liphook & Ripsley crashed to 81 all out on a difficult Church Road surface – teenage left-arm spinner George Keeley taking 4-14 – where Rowledge won by six wickets.
Sarisbury Athletic’s title prospects go firmly on the line when table topping Andover visit Alltoment Road on Saturday, 1pm.
It’s a second v first affair which Sarisbury must win if they are to cling on to the prospect of regaining the Premier Division place they lost at the end of last season.
They rekindled their promotion chances after three barren weeks with a Baz Akram inspired five-wicket win at relegation bound Old Tauntonians & Romsey.
But go into the ‘must win’ Andover showdown 25 points behind the Lions, who boost their own title prospects with a tight ten-run win against Basingstoke & North Hants.
Akram, who is having trials at Sussex after being unable to land a permanent berth on the Ageas Bowl playing staff, led from the front, cracking 91 after OTs had posted 205-7.
He was fifth out at 142, having lost four partners before Sam Floyd’s unbeaten 49 got Sarisbury home with ten balls to spare.
Earlier, Charlie King struck a watchful 104, carrying his bat through the OTs innings after Shayne Freemantle (2-22) had struck two early blows.
King added 127 with third wicket partner Harry Tulk (54) before young spinner Tom Kitcher took 4-47 to check OTs’ advance.

Fawley’s shock eight-wicket defeat of previously unbeaten Trojans has split the Southern Premier League Division 2 title and promotion race wide open.
Only six points now separate the top three clubs, Trojans, Calmore Sports and Tichborne Park, with Hambledon coming up hard on the rails.
Trojans were skittled for 86 by the Waterside club, who have spent the entire season in the relegation zone.
Left-armer Adam Freeman (4-27) ripped out Trojans top three batsmen with only four runs on the board.
Ed Boyd (14) guided Trojans to 36 before off-spinner Wayne Smith (5-12) (right) took the first of his nap hand haul.
Ed Pope (22) and James Truscott (21) provided the only meaningful resistance as Trojans collapsed to 86 all out.
Fawley, who lifted themselves out of the bottom two on the back of the win, lost Paul Marks cheaply, but were eased to victory by Andy Parratt (24) and James Nason, with 31 not out.
Calmore Sports are only five points behind Trojans after ending Sparsholt’s outside promotion prospects with an eight-wicket victory at the Norman Edwards Ground.
Sparsholt were on the back foot directly Paul Proudley (2-24) dismissed both Stuart Tognarelli and David Banks before the score had reached 25.
Teen duo Michael Haworth (34) and Tom Foster (40) repaired the damage, but any prospects Sparsholt had of posting a competitive total disappeared when spinner James Rose (4-26) ripped through their middle-order, three wickets falling for as many runs at one stage.
Jamie Skeoch (16) and young Nick Doubell (17) launched a late bit to improve Sparsholt’s lot, but Mark Lavelle (2-24) ended the innings at 145.
Calmore lost Matt Hardy cheaply, but a half-century from Lavelle (50), aided by an unbeaten 47 by left-hander Ben Johns, swept the visitors home with 11 overs to spare.
Henry Don’s return from Durham University has given Tichborne Park’s promotion prospects a distinct boost.
He followed up his 64 against Paultons with 104 as Tichborne ran up 305-8 before beating South Wilts II by 54 runs at Bemerton.
Justin Reid (38) gave the Park a positive start, but it was Don’s century, which contained a six and 17 fours, and a fine 92 from Tom Allam which enabled Tichborne to total a formidable 305-8 (Tom Pearce 4-67).
Any slim prospects South Wilts had of chasing down a 300-plus total were destroyed by Tichborne opening pair Ben Allen (2-36) and James Long (4-50), who sent the Bemerton top four back to the pavilion for only 27 runs.
Sam Arnold (84) and Tom Pearce (75) shared a 156-run fifth-wicket stand as South Wilts recovered to reach 251-9 by stumps.
Hambledon created a niche in the Premier League record books by chasing down the highest ever target to beat Hartley Wintney by five wickets on the Green.
South African Shane Nkomo led the way with a boundary strewn century as the Dons’ raced past Hartley Wintney’s 334-9 to remain a competitive fourth in the log.
The Langa-based all-rounder hit four sixes and 16 fours in an unbeaten 133, sharing an opening stand of 152 with left-hander George Marshall (99).
Indy Chakrabarti kept the momentum going with 60 off 76 balls to set the scene for stand-in skipper Ian Turner to hit the winning six.
Tasmanian Tommy Garwood earlier hit 115 and later took 3-65 ... only to finish on the losing side !

Hursley Park threw themselves the proverbial lifeline in the Southern Premier League Division 3 survival battle with a 41-run win at Ryde, which deepens the islanders’ own relegation fears.
Their success at Haring Shute owed much to second-wicket pair Boswell Chapungu (86) and Jeremy Wright (54), whose 143-run stand laid the foundation for Hursley’s 237-7.
Chris Wheeler’s lively 36 gave Hursley, now out of the immediate danger zone, maximum batting bonus points.
Ryde got themselves into a tidy position through Sam Rockley (41) and Cameron Mitchell (39), but the pair both fell to Nick Turner, whose 4-46 return swung the match in Hursley’s favour.
Stuart Robertson hit 26 late on, but his knock came too little too late to lift Ryde beyond 196.
Hursley’s island success has increased Lymington II’s worries at the foot of the table.
A five-wicket defeat by title chasing Basingstoke & North Hants II has left Oli Kelly’s side eight points behind Hursley Park.
Southampton University student Oli Calcott (59), Kelly (36) and Conor Moors (33) top scored in Lymington’s below par 177 at the Sports Ground.
Omitted from Basingstoke’s first team, Ben Julin hit an unbeaten 79 and the injured Chris Jolley 52 in the visitors’ victory romp.
Now fielding stronger sides, Havant II have pulled clear of the immediate danger zone.
Cam Prentice, who hit 83 and took 4-34, was the start of the show in the 36-run win at sliding Gosport Borough, where only New Zealander Mike Ruffell’s 81 threatened the visitors’ 209 (Oli Jones 57).
Newly promoted Fair Oak are starting to mount a serious promotion challenge.  They beat Waterlooville by five wickets to move into third place behind leaders Langley Manor and Basingstoke & North Hants II.
James Featherstone and Rufus Bullough did the damage with three wickets each as the Ville were shot out for 86, Max Goddard (25) top scoring.
Sam Hillman’s 3-24 return kept Ville in the picture, but Asad Abbas hit an unbeaten 31 to end their hopes.
Steve Harris (54) steadied the ship with an unbeaten half-century after Langley Manor had slipped from 68-1 to 117-6 before posting 177 against St Cross Symondians II at Knellers Lane.
Dave Orchard took 3-23, but with no one scoring more than 25, the Symondians’ reply petered out at 177, Graham Noble taking 4-25.

Bashley (Rydal) tail-enders Brad Currie and Jake Lilley, pictured above, fought a successful 15-minute rearguard action to deny Havant an ECB Southern Premier League victory that appeared highly improbable shortly before lunch.
Havant were on the ropes at 71-6 shortly before lunch, but a remarkable afternoon session saw them recover to post 229 all out and then have Bashley fighting for survival at 157-8 at stumps, writes Mike Vimpany.
One more wicket would have won it for Havant as Bashley spin all-rounder Simon Watkins was nursing a broken left thumb in the pavilion and would not have batted.
Dorset left-arm teen pace ace Brad Currie (4-47) and Jake Lilley (3-58) did the bulk of the damage as Havant sank to a desperate 71-6 in the morning session.
Richard Hindley (45), frequently a man for a crisis, gave a hint of Havant’s recovery prowess, but it was wicketkeeper Jez Bulled who really turned the game on its head.
He cracked a quite superb 90, including 11 fours, to wrest the initiative away from the New Forest side.
Bashley were seldom at the races when it came to chasing down the total and, with Havant’s spinners employed for two-thirds of the 56-overs, run scoring was always difficult.
They dipped to a worrying 82-5 before Gavin Bailiff (40) and Josh Digby (30) put the first meaningful partnership together.
The pair took the total on to 135 before three wickets fell for 12 runs to leave the tail exposed.
But, with Havant’s close fielders hovering like vultures, Currie and Lilley kept their cool and secured Bashley a creditable draw.