SPCL 2 - Academy victorious despite disaster start

The Hampshire Academy are Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 champions after pulling off their version of the Great Escape - and sending gallant Trojans down - at Stoneham Lane.

Requiring only two points to clinch the title, the Young Hawks were staring an unexpected defeat in the face when Jamie Donaldson (5-25) and Paul Douglas (3-28) sent them crashing to 8-5 and then 26-6.

But a lower-order revival, initiated by Mitchell Stokes (26) and Ian Hilsum (24), and driven by a timely 44 not out by David Griffiths, lifted the Academy to a match-winning 132 all out.

"Some of the shot selection early on was poor, but Trojans bowled pretty well," reflected Academy skipper Tony Middleton.

"It was a great fightback by the lads. The lowerorder batted patiently and used their brains."

Trojans, in a last-ditch bid to stave off relegation, got away to a flying start, but began to falter when Mario Mohammed was run-out, unwisely taking on Tony Middleton's arm from the boundary.

In between a brace by Lawrie Prittipaul (2-12), Trojans progressed to 48-1 through Simon Williams (21) and Donaldson (20) ... only to lose four wickets for nine runs.

The Academy spinners seized the initiative, with Ian Hilsum (4-21) removing the dangerous Donaldson before cutting through the tail to end Trojans gallant resistance at 112.

The Academy's 20-run win lifts the Young Hawks into the top tier of Premier League cricket next season - and sentences Trojans to a year in Division 3.

It turned out that, even if the Academy had lost, they would still have won the championship - courtesy of Lymington's victory at second-placed Easton & Martyr Worthy.

Lymington won by 17 runs, with Australian all-rounder Aaron Heal narrowly missing the chance to take the Premier Division 2 batting award back to Perth when he managed only 26.

It left Heal an agonising 13 runs adrift of Charlie Forward, the hard-hitting Old Tauntonians & Romsey left-hander, who finished the season with 642 runs to his credit.

Instead it was Ben Craft, who had previously scored only one half-century in 14 knocks this season, who dominated Lymington's 266-8.

Craft struck a superb 110 - his century came off 85 balls - and, with Danny Peacock (46) in support, eased Lymington towards a formidable total.

Despite being without influential captain Steve Green - who has been banned for two-matches and will miss the start of next season - Easton made a real fist of the run chase, finishing at 249 all out, with Andy Birch cracking 82.

At the 25-over drinks break they were well placed at 109-2, Birch and Steve Ainsworth (31) scoring 81 off the initial 18 overs.

When Easton dropped to 122-4, it appeared the chase might be up, but Mark Stone cracked 45 off 23 balls before becoming the 31st victim of the season for Heal (3-61).

Even when Birch was run out at 200-6, Easton wouldn't submit - Matt Bolland (24 not out) striking out before Peacock eventually grabbed the last wicket at 249.

Sparsholt rattled up 267-6 at Burnaby Road and then clung on by the skin of their teeth as United Services hit back with 264-8.

Ollie Kelly (59) anchored down the Sparsholt innings to hit a maiden SPL half-century and provide Kevin Foyle (50) and Rob Savage (74) with ideal support from which to build 267-6. Mark Toogood (52) prompted a lively US start, but it was during the flowing 123-run partnership between third-wicket pair Warren Gilmour (84) and Gary Hounsome (54) that Sparsholt really did come under the cosh. But, when Kelly's teasing leg-spin breached Gilmour's defences at 219-4, Services lost the impetus - five wickets falling for 28 runs before a frenetic finish left them three runs short at 264-8 (Andy Lang 3-53). Inspirational Max Smith was man-of-the-match for Old Tauntonians & Romsey, who beat ten-man Winchester KS by seven wickets. Smith ripped out Winchester's middle-order, including top scorer Raj Naik (55), with a spell of 4-28 and then struck a match-winning 75 not out. Left-arm spinner Nick Wood (3-43) confirmed the Divisional bowling award with his 38th wicket of the season as Winchester were dismissed for 143 (Paul Baker 30). The visitors hit back with three wickets, but Smith's 75 not out, supported by Mike Trodd (36 not out), steered OTR home with ease. Old Tauntonians' victory means that Rowledge finished second-to-bottom - despite piling up a massive 323-6 at Hungerford. Chris Yates (124) and Nick Morrant (85) led the way for Rowledge, whose Premier 2 fate may now rest on what overall accreditation SPL grading junior-less Winchester receive. Australian Jeff Annings took 4-16 as Hungerford were dismissed for 108.