Tom Beresford was the hero of Totton & Eling’s dramatic two-wicket win achieved off the penultimate ball of a Southern Electric Premier Division 1 thriller on the Cricket Green.
The former Richard Taunton College student finished his Kent University term in time to hit an unbeaten 55 as Totton got home having needed 20 runs off the last two overs.
The result came after Hartley Wintney had produced a fine bowling and fielding display, which compensated for their short comings with bat as they were all out for 188, when they really should have scored a 200 plus total.
Opener Jack Hersh (41) and Matt Kerr (44) put on 44 in the first 10 overs.
The run rate continued to tick along by the halfway stage the village side were 117-3 and by the 40 over mark had reached 178-6.
However, they were then bowled out in the space of in less than four overs as Luke Mooney returned to take two wickets in one over.
There was also a brace of wickets for Tom Beresford, Josh Metcalfe and New Zealander Andrew Fletcher, who finished with 3-32
The Totton reply got off to a slow start as Chris Jolley (1-17) and Jamie Teale (1-30) limited the visitors to 18 runs in the first 10 overs for the loss of Kiwi Fletcher.
However, with only 188 and wickets in hand they were always had the upper hand even if Scott Baldwin (0-21) really put the brakes on the innings as he conceded just one run in his first four overs.
Nick Jenkin (37) kept his side in the game and then Richard Dibden (31) and Tom Beresford (55 not out) started to open up, but once again Hartley hit back.
Totton still needed 20 for victory going into the final two overs, but Beresford opened the bat and a four and six took the pressure off.
This left the visitors still wanting eight off the final over which was bowled by Flanders, but another four from Beresford reduced to total to two off three balls and Beresford with a single on the penultimate ball secured a three wicket win.
The former Richard Taunton College student finished his Kent University term in time to hit an unbeaten 55 as Totton got home having needed 20 runs off the last two overs.
The result came after Hartley Wintney had produced a fine bowling and fielding display, which compensated for their short comings with bat as they were all out for 188, when they really should have scored a 200 plus total.
Opener Jack Hersh (41) and Matt Kerr (44) put on 44 in the first 10 overs.
The run rate continued to tick along by the halfway stage the village side were 117-3 and by the 40 over mark had reached 178-6.
However, they were then bowled out in the space of in less than four overs as Luke Mooney returned to take two wickets in one over.
There was also a brace of wickets for Tom Beresford, Josh Metcalfe and New Zealander Andrew Fletcher, who finished with 3-32
The Totton reply got off to a slow start as Chris Jolley (1-17) and Jamie Teale (1-30) limited the visitors to 18 runs in the first 10 overs for the loss of Kiwi Fletcher.
However, with only 188 and wickets in hand they were always had the upper hand even if Scott Baldwin (0-21) really put the brakes on the innings as he conceded just one run in his first four overs.
Nick Jenkin (37) kept his side in the game and then Richard Dibden (31) and Tom Beresford (55 not out) started to open up, but once again Hartley hit back.
Totton still needed 20 for victory going into the final two overs, but Beresford opened the bat and a four and six took the pressure off.
This left the visitors still wanting eight off the final over which was bowled by Flanders, but another four from Beresford reduced to total to two off three balls and Beresford with a single on the penultimate ball secured a three wicket win.