Shepherd stars as Waterlooville move up to second place in third tier of Southern Premier League

The opening bat hit 75 off 85 balls as Ville posted 208 all out en route to victory over South Wilts in Salisbury that lifted them into second place.

That was his highest league innings since making 77 against Hursley Park in June 2017, with Shepherd’s league best remaining his 116 in a Division 3 game against Havant 2nds six years ago.

Shepherd hit nine fours and two sixes after his fellow top order colleagues - skipper Archie Reynolds (10), Namish Verma (13) and Sonny Reynolds (14) had all fallen cheaply.

Shepherd found a willing ally in No 5 Jon Hudson, whose 33-ball 45 included four boundaries, while Tim Jackson (21) was the only member of the tail to hit double figures.

Jackson then took 4-39 as South Wilts were restricted to 180-9 to lose by 28 runs.

Hudson was generally at the centre of the action as well, trapping opener Joe Cranch (15) leg before and also taking two catches and executing two run-outs. One of the run-outs saw the departure of Raff Hussey, Wilts’ top scorer with 45.

It was Ville’s third win in four completed league games, and sets them up nicely for next Saturday’s home clash with table-topping Old Tauntonians & Romsey.

Elsewhere in the third tier, Fawley claimed a stunning victory against Paultons.

Replying to Paultons’ 167-7, Fawley were in deep trouble on 59-6 - yet ended up winning by one wicket after Alistair Bryers (10 not out) and Wayne Smith (5 not out) had put on an unbroken stand of 13 for the last wicket.