Havant skipper Ben Walker hits highest score of 2022 as St Cross take over top spot in Southern Premier League top flight

Batting at No 3, Walker hit eight fours in a 107-ball 72 as the hosts reached their 226 victory target with almost 10 overs in hand.

It was only the second time Walker - one of the most consistent top flight batters of the 21st century - had passed 50 in league action in 2022.

He is still only averaging 17.86, though - his lowest average since becoming a Havant regular in 2006.

After seeing openers Stuart Ransley (8) and Pete Hopson (1) fall cheaply, Walker and Harry Gadd (38) added 54 for the third wicket.

George Metzger - 53 off 44 balls - then upped the run rate in a fourth wicket partnership of 89 with his skipper.

Simon Woodruff (4-37) dismissed both Walker and Metzger, but Chris Stone - the top flight’s third highest runscorer with 588 (just three more than Gadd) - was unbeaten on 26 as Havant cruised home.

Freddie Gadd had earlier recorded his best SPL figures of 2022 - 4-55 - as Bournemouth failed to build on reaching 110-2. In the end, they needed late acceleration from Rob Pack - 36 not out off 16 balls - to post 225-7.

Bournemouth scored 34 runs off the final three overs, with Freddie Gadd’s final over costing 16 and the very last over, bowled by Walker, going for 14.

Jack Paskins continued his great form as Burridge pushed Hook & Newnham a step closer to relegation.

The opener, fresh from hitting an SPL best 97 against Lymington the week before, struck an unbeaten 87 in his side’s two-wicket win.

Asked to chase 197, Burridge still had work to do when their seventh wicket fell on 148.

But Paskins and Francis Moore (19) added 25 for the eighth wicket before No 10 Sullivan White (14 not out) played his part in an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 27.

Former Gosport Borough bowler Ollie Creal’s best-ever SPL figures for Burridge - 4-59 - had helped bowl out Hook for 196.

That score looked unlikely at 99-6 and 120-8, but Richard Willcock hit 72 and No 10 Max Simpson was run out for 30.

St Cross are top of the table - and on course for only their second ever SPL title win - after hammering Lymington by 231 runs.

All-rounder Charlie Gwynn starred in the rout, top scoring with 84 and then picking up four cheap wickets.

Yet the day had begun badly for St Cross when, after electing to bat, they lost two wickets in Josh Royan’s first over - Tom Foyle and Harry Trussler out for ducks.

But Gwynn, Harry Foyle (79) and Joseph Lewis (58) went on the attack as St Cross ended up posting 298-7. Though Royan ended with four wickets, they were at a cost of 84 runs in 10 overs.

In reply, Lymington advanced to 54-2 before suffering one of the worst collapses seen in the Southern Premier League all season.

With Callum Whitlock (4-8) and Gywnn (4-11) wreaking havoc, the New Forest club lost eight wickets for just 13 runs to be skittled for 67.

That meant St Cross took full advantage of former leaders South Wilts’ 146-run home thrashing by the Hampshire Academy.

After the Academy posted 282, Ethan Martin tore through the powerful home top order – removing Tom Morton (7), Jack Stearman (18) and Peter Rowe (0). Wilts never recovered, tumbling to 136 all out with Ethan Baker (5-36) mopping up the late order and tail.

St Cross are now eight points ahead of the Academy with three games remaining. And St Cross’ fixtures are against lowly pair Hook and Bournemouth and mid-table Bashley.