Hursley Park so close to upsetting league leaders

Hursley Park came within a hairsbreadth of shattering Purbrook's Southern Electric Premier League Division 3 championship dream in a reduced-overs thriller at The Quarters.

After seemingly being batted out of the contest by South African opener Will Prozesky - whose superbly constructed 125 helped Purbrook post a formidable 268-8 in 50 overs - they came within an ace of a memorable victory.

Set to get a revised target score of 215 off a rain-trimmed 40 overs, Hursley had Purbrook on the ropes as Paul Edwards crisply compiled the second century of the match.

And appeared to have victory in their sights with six runs required off Prozesky's final over.

But, with Hursley on 213-8 and two balls remaining, Edwards (106) was run out attempting a bye to wicket keeper Andy Mengham.

Ross Cambray and Tom Burns successfully scrambled a bye off Prozesky's final ball.

But, with the field in frenzied chaos, Cambray returned for a potentially match-winning second and was run out, leaving Hursley's reply at 214-9 .... and Purbrook the victors under Premier League regulations where a tie cannot occur where a fraction of a run is involved.

The outcome meant the probable end of Hursley's promotion prospects - but Purbrook requiring ten points from Saturday's visit by Ventnor to pip St Cross Symondians to the title.

St Cross remain second after crushing Hook & Newnham Basics by eight wickets at the King George V Ground, Hook.

Prozesky, who hopes that distant Scottish ancestry will aid his prospects of securing a professional contract in England, underlined his class with a chanceless and technically superb century.

The 22-year old all-rounder from Pretoria acknowledged the importance of this first v third fixture to Purbrook, whom he has transformed from an "above-average" unit into a side poised to lift the Division 3 crown.

Losing Mike Hennessy and Ian Hunter cheaply, the South African went about compiling his runs with a careful (instead of carefree) air, placing shots in the gaps and along the ground.

Craig Williams (28) provided reliable third-wicket support but, when Hursley skipper Rob Lowe (5-78) created significant inroads into the Purbrook middle-order, Prozesky had to go it alone.

Spinner Lowe had Purbrook in some difficulty at an uncertain 147-6 when Prozesky, already into his 60's, opened up, unleashing a stream of sixes and fours across and over Hursley's spacious boundary.

He was on 91 - and in sight of his third century of the summer - when a heavy thundershower prompted a half-hour delay, 11 overs before tea.

But there was no rain respite for Hursley as Prozesky powered past his century and on to 125, an innings which contained three 6s and 13 fours.

It took the South African's run tally for the season to 924 - so far this season he has hit 36 sixes and 109 fours - and to within sight of Robin Smith's all-time Southern League record of 1,015 runs for Trojans in 1982.

Purbrook didn't let up after he had gone - Graham McCoy (35 not out and Mengham (23 not out) helping the Premier 3 leaders plunder 96 runs off the last ten overs to take the visitors on to 256-8.

Hursley needed to score at a rate of 5.36 runs an over to get home and, after a wicket brace by Graham McCoy (2-38), it didn't look on.

Edwards and Lowe (20) came together at 49-3 and added an important 40 to leave Hursley requiring 100 for victory of the last 13 overs.

Edwards was timing the ball sweetly - all too often for his liking direct to Purbrook's eager fielders - but notched his first SEPL 50 in three seasons.

But it was Bradford & Leeds University student Ben Smyth (37) who really fired Hursley's run chase.

The pair ran well between the wickets before Smyth holed out in the deep in the 36th over with Hursley 173-5 and still 42 runs adrift.

Kelvan Finch (2-23) promptly took two wickets in the next over to drop the response to 184-7.

But Edwards, in full flow with some delightful shots off his legs, took a critical 18 runs off Wayne Musselwhite's 38th over to lift the total to 202-8.

He reached his century as six runs came off Finch's penultimate over, leaving Prozesky to shoulder the responsibility of bowling the final over of an absorbing contest.

Three runs came off the South African's initial three deliveries to set up that frantic finish.

Kiwi Mark Parker hit an unbeaten 75 to guide St Cross Symondians to an eight wicket win at Hook & Newnham Basics.

Will Mariner (3-16) and Stuart Charman (3-62) took the bowling credits as Hook were dismissed for 171 (Vince Gardner 50).

Havant II and Gosport Borough also won, with Redlynch & Hale relegated after losing at Hartley Wintney.