ANDOVER WITHIN TEN POINTS OF PREMIER 2 TITLE

Andover require ten points from their final two matches of the season to clinch the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 title.
Their top-of-the-table clash with second placed Hook & Newnham Basics was called off without a ball being bowled, as was the Rowledge-Burridge duel.
It means Andover now only have to win either of their final two matches against Paultons at London Road on Saturday, or at New Milton on the final day of the season to regain the Premier Division place they lost last year.
New Milton’s season – so promising in mid-summer – continues to fall away in dramatic fashion.
They plunged to a fourth successive defeat – and a catastrophic batting low – when relegation threatened Hursley Park skittled them for a paltry 43 at Fernhill.
Only Ryan Beck reached the dizzy heights of double figures as newly-wed Derek Manning (5-22) and Tom Burns (4-21) rushed them out in just 18.4 overs.
With rain looming, Raman Prendergast put bat to ball and smacked a quick-fire 24 to get Hursley Park home off just 22 deliveries !
Hursley Park’s victory means that next Saturday’s Quarters clash with Burridge will effectively decide the second relegation position alongside Havant II.
Havant’s slender survival hold ended with a narrow “run rate” defeat by Bournemouth II at Chapel Gate.
Martin Miller (66) held Bournemouth’s top order together as left-arm spinner Phil Loat (3-12 in ten overs) created inroads.
He added a vital 74 with Gary Anderson (41) before Pete Smith hit 23 not out to take Bournemouth to 186-7 off 50 overs.
Andy Galliers (49) steered Havant to 82-3, but Lou Stanniford (3-14) reduced Havant to 118-7 when play was abandoned after 32.2 overs – with the visitors three runs adrift on run rate.
Hartley Wintney rallied from 47-5 thanks to teenager Will Phillips (44) and Matt Digweed (36), who took the score to 153 at Paultons.  But it was purely academic with play being washed out 16 overs into the second innings with Paultons 50-2.