Wide ball clinches outstanding BAT victory

BAT Sports chased a massive 266-7 to beat ECB Southern Electric Premier League champions Havant by one wicket - the winning run coming from a wide off the very last ball !

The astonishing victory has put the championship trophy within reach of BAT, who win surely clinch the title at Liphook & Ripsley next week.

BAT won after requiring 137 off the last 20 overs, 28 from three and nine runs off the final over bowled by Yorkshireman Bevis Moynan.

With one ball remaining, the Tobaccomen had tied the scores at 266-9.

But Moynan's vital last ball strayed down the leg-side to give BAT a thrilling victory.

For once, prolific New Zealander Neal Parlane was not at the forefront of BAT's victory charge.

Trapped leg before by Moynan for 32, BAT relied upon Damian Shirazi to anchor the innings.

He did it to perfection, batting a large slice of the evening session, sharing a 72-run start with Parlane and then 119 with Dave Banks (50).

BAT lost wickets as they chased the target - four batsmen, including Shirazi (92), being dismissed for 32 runs at one stage - but were hit back into the picture, initially by Chris Thomason (20).

But it was Archie Norris's cavalier 22 not out, including three exquisite cover drives, which won the game.

"His innings swung it, no doubt about that," said Havant skipper Paul Gover, who spent a sleepness wondering how the game had got away.

"We batted superbly to get 266-7, but our bowling was abysmal. I don't recall us ever bowling so badly.

"All credit to BAT, but we gave them 48 extras, including 29 wides and no balls. "In other words we bowled almost six extra overs at them," he moaned.

Havant's total was built around an opening stand of 129 between Steve Snell (67) and Simon Barnard (44).

Andy Perry (59) and Chris Wright (38) helped the total to 266-7, with Dan Goldstraw taking 3-47.

Andover produced one of their best wins of the season when they nailed Bashley (Rydal) by seven wickets at London Road.

Bashley were never allowed to get going with the bat and found their 167-8 comfortably beaten.

Mark and Roger Miller, together with off-spinner Gareth Tate (2-23), were particularly effective for Andover.

Brad Thompson (39) was prominent as Bashley reached 101-3, but three wickets fell for only eight runs before Neil Taylor (21), Kevin Nash (19 not out) and Matt King (15 not out) thwarted the middle-order collapse to lift the visitors to 167-8.

Nash struck an early blow for Bashley, but a second consecutive half-century by Rob Atkins (50) and an unbroken partnership between Toby Radford (41) and Roger Miller (28) swept Andover to a convincing seven-wicket win.