Havant put to the sword
The news that defending champions Havant had collapsed to 17 for four against South Wilts spread like wildfire throughout the ECB Southern Electric Premier League on Saturday but the recovery, courtesy of a fifth wicket stand of 99, suggested it was business as usual at Havant Park.
The partnership between left-handed teenager Ben Walker (54) and the experienced skipper Richard Hindley (45) put Havant back on track after a disastrous start where the first ball of the match, a perfect swinging yorker from Western Australia Under 19 quickie Simon Branston, knocked out opener Steve Dean's off stump.
Both sides attacked and, at first, South Wilts bowlers Branston and James Hibberd put the visitors on top but the fifth-wicket pair dug in and began to turn things round on a pitch that posed plenty of questions for the batsmen following repeated downpours.
The breakthrough finally came when Walker smashed a short ball to midwicket where James Hayward took a superb catch.
Richard Hindley put Havant back on track with an innings of 45 against South Wilts
South Wilts were prevented from polishing off the Havant innings by a crucial late partnership by Ollie Jones (20no) and Jez Bulled (15) which took the score from 128 for six to 164, before late wickets for Branston (3-38) and Hibberd (3-26) helped stem any late charge and Havant finished on 174 for eight off their 50 overs.
South Wilts also made a disastrous start crashing to 16 for two but the loss of Hibberd with the score 92 for three left South Wilts needing 75 runs off 15 overs, which proved beyond them. The middle order caved in and South Wilts slumped to 142 all out giving Havant victory by 32 runs.
Bottom-of-the-table St Cross Symondians are already in a fight against relegation after suffering a 92-run defeat to fellow strugglers Bashley (Rydal) while Totton & Ealing strengthened their prospects with an emphatic 109-run win over Alton thanks to Damian Shirazi (74) and Derek Kenway (49) who dominated on a pitch that had been flooded just two days previously by the flash storms.
Despite conceding 40 runs in extras, 29 of them wides, Hampshire Academy triumphed over Hursley by five wickets thanks to a half-century from James Vince, his fourth of the season. With three wins in four matches, the young Hawks move into third place, still 35 points behind Havant.
A gallant battling one-man show by Roger Miller almost paid off as Andover took Bournemouth to within 16 runs of their victory target at Chapel Gate. Miller hit 74 and was ninth man out as Andover posted 160, chasing Bournemouth’s 176 for nine.
