Liphook & Ripsley 175-8 lost to

South Wilts 303-3 by 128 runs

ECB Southern Electric Premier League

Division One

THE return to the limited over format of the game has certainly sparked South Wilts back into life following their mid-season slumber. They followed up their comfortable triumph over Andover last week with the demolition of Liphook.

South Wilts won the toss and decided to bat, a straight forward decision considering that traffic problems meant that there were only five of their players at the ground at the time of the toss.

Five was enough though as the South Wilts batsmen tore into the Liphook bowling. Alex Senneck, 71, made his third successive half-century in an opening partnership of 154 and only a run out mix-up prevented him moving onto bigger things.

Jason Laney did just that though and his 103 was astonishingly the first century by any player in all four South Wilts teams this season.

Jon Chandler moved up the order due to the lack of numbers and he took his chance, elegantly stroking a league-best 81 as South Wilts finished on a formidable 303-3.

Liphook had looked totally dispirited in the field and they never challenged the total, finishing up on 175-8. Lysander Wolf bowled well for his two wickets and Tom Caines was the pick with 3-39.

BAT Sports look almost certain to wrap up the league title against Liphook this coming weekend. Meanwhile Calmore have to win well against second from bottom Portsmouth to stand any chance of survival. South Wilts lie mid-table with two big games against Bashley and BAT to come.

South Wilts II's lost a crucial relegation tussle against Leckford, with the winners virtually assured of survival. They bowled well enough to restrict Leckford to 184-9 with Chris Steedon and Shaun Little each picking up three wickets. However, South Wilts never got going in reply.

Skipper Steve Benbough gave the home side some hope with a defiant 38 supported by Colin Moody's 31 but South Wilts slipped to a disappointing 159 all out. The result leaves South Wilts fourth from bottom with two games to play and this week they face mid-table Southsea with a win an absolute necessity.

The thirds had no game following the withdrawal of Appleshaw from the league, so they spent the day celebrating their previous week's triumph. Victory over second-placed Alton seconds wrapped up the Hampshire County Division Three title, so Matt Newman's first season in charge has seen a triumphant march to the title with just one defeat in the season so far.

South Wilts IV's had a resounding victory over Easton & Martyr Worthy thirds. Batting first, South Wilts rattled up 235-8, with Matt Boatwright, 63, the main architect. He was given support by young Tom Pearce who showed much promise with his 40.

In reply Easton were skittled for just 45. John Parsons was the destroyer with 6-21 as South Wilts triumphed by the massive margin of 190 runs.