SPCL3 Week17 - Upward champs Alton, up go Ventnor

Alton avoided an unlucky 13 to beat Portsmouth II by 39 runs and clinch the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 championship.

Despite being dismissed for 165 (Michael Heffernan 45), Alton got the ten points they needed to be certain of the title after spin duo Julian Ballinger (3-25) and Ben Jansen (3-26) bowled relegation-threatened Portsmouth out for 126.

Ventnor are firm favourites to finish runners-up after Neil Westhorpe (83) and Lee Brown (52) guided them to 225-7 at Leckford, who were dismissed for 97 by three-wicket trio Andy Whyte, Orascio Santalucia and Fred Smith.

Jamie Donaldson, with 4-34 and an undefeated 56, played a key role in Trojans' eight-wicket win over Havant II - a result which keeps an outside promotion chance alive.

Paul Douglas (3-34) weighed in as Havant made 144, while Erasmus Hendrikse (61 not out) partnered Donaldson in Trojans' winning romp.

Paul Marks produced a virtuoso performance, taking 6-56 and scoring 103 for ten-man Winchester KS against New Milton at River Park.

But Steve Watts (55), Dean Miller (49) and Ben Clarke (47) scored enough runs to secure a 62-run win for New Milton.

Simon Sargent (56), Duncan Park (47) and Tony Richman (45) helped weakened Paultons to 229-6 at Bashley, who suffered two batting collapses either side of a 170-partnership between Graham Pardey (83) and Brian Vibert (70).

Waterlooville need to beat Alton on Saturday to avoid joining Flamingo in the Hampshire League next season.