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SPCL 1 - Havant overhaul BAT as latter falter
Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo) - 18 August 2002
With two matches remaining, Havant have snatched a slender lead over BAT Sports at the top of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League.
The situation at the top changed dramatically when BAT lost by 27 runs at Bashley-Rydal, and Havant held their nerve to pip South Wilts by a solitary run after a batting bonanza at Lower Bemerton.
Champions BAT went into the 15th round of matches protecting an 11-point lead, but they played indifferently at Bashley and never really got any grip on the game.
Havant, the inaugural 2000 season Premier winners, recovered from a worrying 79-5 to post 254-7 - but had to hang on as South Wilts, needing 14 off the final over, finished at 253-9.
The results have set up a photo-finish to the title race.
BAT entertain Andover on Saturday and visit neighbours Calmore Sports on August 31. Havant play relegation-bound Burridge and host Bournemouth.
Bashley, who seem likely to pip Bournemouth to third place, took the initiative in the opening hour against BAT and never let go.
Neil Taylor's gamble to thrust Dale Middleton into a pinch-hitting opener's role paid dividends as the one-time Hampshire Under-17 left-hand all-rounder punished the BAT bowling.
He lost opening partner Neil Thurgood early on, but unruffled an off-colour BAT attack with a series of drives and pulls.
Middleton's best-yet 66, which contained two sixes and six 4s, got Bashley off to a dominant start, which Andy Sexton (33) and Luke Ronchi (34) did their bit towards improving.
Two wickets in consecutive balls by Dan Goldstraw (3-35) checked Bashley's onslaught, but with 172-6 on the board after 30 overs, the Foresters were always on target for a challenging total.
BAT didn't seem to get their main bowlers into the firing line as Shaun Lilley (22), aided by Neil Taylor and Kevin Nash at the end, powered Bashley to 242-8 off 50 overs.
Bashley's target always looked to be just beyond BAT's reach - and so it proved.
By the 30th over, they were four down for 92, and left needing 151 runs to win off the last 20.
Losing four partners at regular intervals hardly helped Richard Kenway, who did his best to keep the scoring rate ticking along.
Kenway (60) eventually skied a running catch to Sexton to leave BAT 129-5 in the 37th over.
But Hampshire YCs prospect Ricky Rawlins, in his first real Premier League challenge, rose to the occasion, slapping a series of boundary shots as champions began to make a fight of it.
Ricky and his father Terry added a useful 43 for the sixth wicket, but when Rawlins senior (35) - facing a daunting ask of ten runs an over - was run out at 190-7, BAT's challenge effectively ended.
They were eventually dismissed for 215 - and were back in the Bashley clubhouse to hear the drama unfold at Lower Bemerton, where South Wilts came so close against Havant.
That the match produced such a dramatic finish was surprising in itself after Havant's top order had been undone by Shaun Adam (3-56) and Adam Smith (3-39).
They title challengers were rocking at 79-5 (Andy Perry 30) before Paul Gover and Shane Ferguson (42) launched a rescue act.
They added 100 for the sixth wicket, Gover going on to battle his way through the remainder of the innings for a gutsy 91 not out.
South Wilts can be a dangerous chasing side if their powerful top-order gets going - and once Paul Draper (56) and Russell Rowe (49) had produced a 96-run start, the challenge was on.
Phil Loat (4-59) removed both openers before a stutter saw South Wilts slip to 160-4.
Jamie Glasson (54) added useful runs with Danny Webb (22), but his departure at 218-6 was a telling point in the run chase.
Adam (29) struck out, hitting Loat for a six over long-off to leave South Wilts requiring six runs to win off the last four balls.
But when he holed out to Perry in the deep and Greg Sheppard was run out, South Wilts sank to 250-9.
Smith needed a four off Loat's final ball, but only managed a two as South Wilts finished one run behind at 253-9.
© SPCL / Daily Echo / Mike Vimpany
| Players/Umpires | Neil Taylor, Neil Thurgood, Andrew Sexton, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Goldstraw, Kevin Nash, Richard Kenway, Shaun Adam, Andrew Perry, Paul Gover, Paul Draper, Russell Rowe, Jamie Glasson. |
| Tournaments | Southern Electric Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |