Shepherd stars as Waterlooville end Southern Premier League season with back-to-back narrow victories

Alex Shepherd rescued Ville from a tricky situation against Hartley Wintney. Picture Ian Hargreaves

A week after beating Fair Oak by just one wicket, Ville secured a similar result against a Hartley Wintney side who had faint Division 2 promotion hopes.

Asked to chase Wintney’s 166-8, the hosts were in deep trouble on 94-7 with Dan Nightingale (4-31) their destroyer in chief.

But Shepherd, batting at No 8 despite the fact he has SPL centuries for Ville, and Birch (No 9) rescued the situation.

Shepherd struck seven fours in his 48, adding 60 for the eighth wicket with Birch (21).

Ville still needed 12 to win when Shepherd was ninth out on 155, but skipper Archie Reynolds (9 not out) and Jon Hudson (3 not out) guided them home with two overs remaining.

Liphook & Ripsley won the Division 2 title with Ventnor runners-up.

Former West Indies under-19 Test batsman Anthony Alleyne top scored with 70 in Ventnor’s win against South Wilts 2nds.

It was his eighth half-century in 13 SPL innings in 2021 - and he also scored a century! In all, he hit 696 league runs at an average of 87.00.