SOUTH Wilts' match with Alton had a distinct end of season feel about it.

With the runners-up spot virtually secure, they went into the game with a below strength team and paid the penalty - a below par performance saw them lose by 18 runs to a relegation-threatened side desperate to retain their Southern Electric Premier League Division One status.

On winning the toss, James Hayward took the decision to bowl first - the rare sight of the sun and blue skies may have promised some good cricket, but on a soft damp wicket with a lush outfield, it was clear that run scoring would not be easy.

One of South Wilts' strengths this season has been their opening bowlers and the way they have attacked the batsmen from the off, but that was not the case on Saturday.

Alton's wicket hardly suited pace bowling and the wet landing area gave Simon Branston in particular, problems with his run-up.

Branston was removed from the attack after just two overs and opener Michael Heffernan took advantage of the situation tucking into first change bowler Dom Ducillier with two big straight sixes.

James Hibberd provided the breakthrough when he trapped Scott Myers in front with the score on 34.

Ducillier then had Ryan Hale caught driving by Hibberd, but Heffernan together with Marc Anthony-Eysele, dug in to see off any danger of a collapse.

Young Dom Webb came on to have his first bowl in the first team and he bowled an accurate spell of four overs.

Just before the halfway mark of the innings, Hayward introduced Rob Wade to the attack and together with Branston who had returned to try his luck from the other end, the tide turned South Wilts' way.

A comfortable 83-2 was suddenly 91-5, as Wade trapped Heffernan, 32, lbw, Branston had Morgan caught behind by Tom Morton and then Wade cut one back sharply to trap Anthony-Eysele, 23.

South Wilts now had Alton where they wanted them but they could not maintain their stranglehold and the hosts continued to worm extra vital runs.

Despite his double breakthrough, Wade, 2-21, was removed from the attack and Hayward brought himself on and the lbws continued to come as the skipper trapped both Mark Heffernan and David Evans in front.

Then 14-year-old James Hag-gaty, bowling an excellent short spell, snared Howard Gadbsy, 23, to leave Alton at 128-8.

From here, 150 should have been the maximum score, but Haggaty had Ballinger dropped at slip and he together with tail enders Alex Hughes and Tabs Farooq, added crucial late runs to see Alton to a useful 171 as they were all out in the final over.

Ballinger was well caught by Eddie Abel on the long off boundary to give Hayward, 3-37, his third wicket while Farooq was run out.

The South Wilts captain was not completely satisfied with his side's performance.

"We did not bowl or field with our usual enthusiasm and consequently they got 20-30 runs more than they should have," said Hayward.

With a severely weakened batting line-up, the emphasis was firmly on the top six to score the runs required, and Tom Morton blazed a quick fire 29 to set South Wilts on their way.

However, from 34-0, the visitors lost regular wickets to keep Alton more than interested.

Morton and Abel were both caught, undone by the lack of pace in the wicket, Wade was caught off a top-edged sweep and when Hibberd was stumped off Farooq, South Wilts were precariously positioned at 89-4.

Branston joined the skipper at the crease and a patient partnership appeared to be taking the game away from Alton.

However, the hosts were kept interested by the fact that one more wicket and South Wilts had little left to come.

At 128, the breakthrough Alton needed arrived as Bran-ston, 17, was run out by Scott Myers, Haggaty was then trapped lbw by Myers and Alton smelled victory.

Matt Newman dug in to help Hayward take the score to 149, but with seven overs left, the end came fast.

Alton skipper Farooq, 3-11, had Newman stumped and Ducillier bowled.

Off the first ball of the next over, Hayward top-edged a pull shot off Myers to bring to an end a defiant 41 and then Shaun Dixon was bowled by Myers, 4-32, to see South Wilts all out for 153 with five overs still to bowl.

"We were poor in the warm-up, we were poor bowling and fielding and then we poor batting, it was a disappointing day," reflected Hayward.

Havant's victory against Totton secured a successive Southern League title, while Hampshire Academy's defeat at Bournemouth means that South Wilts will definitely finish in runners-up spot.

3:19pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

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