Sarisbury step up Southern Premier League Division 1 promotion push with a remarkable victory – Warner makes impressive 1st XI return for Portsmouth

It looked for all the world as if Athletic were going to lose when Basingstoke - asked to chase 243 for victory in the Division 1 fixture - reached 231-5.

But the visitors promptly lost their last five wickets for just eight runs, Sam Hill taking three of them, to lose by three runs.

A fourth successive victory has taken Sarisbury into second place, but level on points with Calmore who suffered an eight-wicket trouncing against Alton.

Basingstoke had been 220-4 with Joe Oakes just three runs shy of his century. But his dismissal - caught by Cameron Grierson off the bowling of Ronan DeGrussa - was to prove a turning point.

Jordan Wright ensured nerves were jangling when he removed Neil Shelar (8), and it was 232-7 when Bradley Neal (34) fell to Hill, again snaffled by Grierson.

DeGrussa bowled Matt Donaldson first ball and the ninth wicket went down on 236 when Hill had Rakitha Perera caught by Jack Lovett.

Amid mounting tension, only another three runs had been added when Hiil (4-41) sealed a stunning win by dismissing Jake Fincken (3).

DeGrussa (4-31) had begun the innings by removing openers Richard Vinn (1) and Dubs Wood (0).

Sarisbury had reached 125-1 after electing to bat with half-centuries for Grierson (55) and Sam Floyd (50).

Lovett, batting at No 6, struck an unbeaten 52 off 48 balls - with seven fours and a six - as the hosts closed on 242-7.

*Stephen Warner made a superb return to 1st XI action as inconsistent Portsmouth defeated Sparsholt.

The player-coach - a winter signing from South Wilts - had not played in the SPL since June 11 due to injury.

But he top scored with a half-century in the middle order and took three cheap wickets in a 98-run victory at St Helens.

Batting at No 6, Warner cracked nine fours in a 64-ball 51, sharing an 80-run stand for the fifth wicket with Dan Wimble (37). With Sri Lankan all-rounder Minhaj Jalill having fallen one short of his half-century, the hosts closed on 277-7 (James Christian 37).

Opening bowlers Ashan Silva (2-24) and Joe Kooner-Evans (2-27) reduced Sparsholt to 39-4.

Skipper Jeremy Frith (65) and Ollie Williams (40) rebuilt the innings but Warner - the seventh bowler used - took 3-15 off 14 balls as Sparsholt were all out for 179.