There’s a familiar pattern developing at the top of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League, with Havant and BAT Sports contesting pole position

Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo)23-Jun-2002There’s a familiar pattern developing at the top of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League, with Havant and BAT Sports contesting pole position.The two past Division 1 champions both won again – Havant recovering from early setbacks to beat Burridge by six wickets and BAT Sports skittling early season pacesetters Andover for 90 before claiming an 11th successive all-day win.Moeen Cheema (2-68) had Havant rocking at 39-3, in reply to an all-out Burridge total of 190, before Paul Gover (71 not out) and Andy Perry (69) turned the tide with a match-winning century partnership.Burridge, struggling themselves at 89-6 (Cheema 35), owed much to Jo Dixon (40) and Matt Godwin (37) for their eventual 190 all out.Andover’s golden start has begun to lose some of its early season gilt – Richard Dibden (5-21) and Dan Goldstraw (4-38) skittling a weakened town side for a disappointing 90 at London Road.Only Roger Miller (27) and in-form Lee Wateridge (21) made reasonable contributions as Australian wicket keeper Michael Watson snapped up the first three victims.Andover lurched from 64-3 to 90 all out, but then had BAT on the hop, with three wickets falling for just five runs after the defending champions had moved to 31 without loss.Dependable Damien Shirazi kept his cool, hitting a decisive 47 as BAT got home, somewhat unconvincing five-wicket winners.James Hibberd hit an undefeated 87 as Calmore’s match against Portsmouth at Loperwood Park petered out into a tame draw.But the ever improving Wiltshire all-rounder lacked any real support as Calmore closed on 177-8, well adrift of Portsmouth’s 226-9 off the full 66 overs.Portsmouth batted themselves into a strong position, with top order quartet Warren Swan (43), Geoff Pike (37), Lee Savident (32) and Matt Keech (30) all making their mark.Promising teenager Matt Metcalfe (4-46) and Allan Hurst (3-31) created inroads as Portsmouth slipped from 163-3 to 196-8 (Matt Scott 24), but a timely 24 by tailender Pete Hayward wrested the initiative from Calmore.Any prospect of a Calmore success effectively disappeared at 38-3, leaving Hibberd with the task of holding the innings together – one he performed admirably.Shaun Lilley’s undefeated 47, coupled with four-wicket hauls by Kevin Nash and John Whiting, ended Bashley-Rydal’s three-match losing sequence and set up a much needed victory over South Wilts at Lower Bemerton.They reduced South Wilts to 33-5 in the morning session, but lost six wickets chasing South Wilts’ eventual 165 all out before match winner Lilley steadied the visitors’ nerves.John Whiting (4-71) struck the first two blows, removing Paul Draper and top Premier run scorer Russell Rowe before Kevin Nash (4-34) nailed Tom Caines and Jamie Glasson in quick succession to leave South Wilts floundering at 22-4.When Nash had Jo Cranch caught behind at 33-5, it looked as though the Salisbury club might collapse completely.But Jon Nash (no relation) led a courageous fightback as South Wilts rallied from an equally desperate 67-7 to reach 151 before Whiting returned to dismiss South African Shaun Adam (31).The pair added 84, with Nash going on to hit a season’s best 79 before South Wilts, after a late flurry by Chris Steedon, were finally dismissed for 165.Bashley’s recent lean form with the bat suggested the victory chase would be anything but straightforward – and so it proved.Former Salisbury Wanderers medium-paceman Adam Smith (3-66), extracting considerable movement off the surface, had Bashley wobbling at 56-3 (Luke Ronchi (33) and tottering again at 101-5 after Chris Sketchley had been needlessly run out.Lilley, arguably the guilty party in the run out, spared his own blushes with an unbeaten 47 which, supported by Dale Middleton and skipper Taylor, eased the nerves and guided Bashley to a four-wicket win."I had visions of another batting collapse," Taylor admitted. "But it was pay-back time for Shaun. He ran Sketch out, but went on, got his head down and won us the game."Bournemouth came within four runs of losing to bottom club Liphook & Ripsley at Ripsley Park.They totalled 218-4 off 64 overs, with Liphook closing at 215-8 after facing two overs less.Matt Swarbrick (52) and Tom Webley (35) provided Bournemouth with a 71-run start, which Dan Jackson (53 not out), Julian Cassell (26) and Alex Allum (32 not out) subsequently improved.But Liphook, with only one previous win, battled to the end, with South African youngster Alistair Gray (57) piloting his side to within a boundary of the Bournemouth total.Left-arm seamer Mark Mixer (3-34) and Kristian Wilson (2-31) bowled well for the visitors, with Tom Webley sending down an economical spell of left-arm spin.