LYMINGTON failed to repeat last season’s heroics when they conquered South Wilts on their own patch and were soundly beaten by the triple ECB Southern Electric Premier League champions at Lower Bemerton.

South Wilts, who had posted a record-breaking 396-5 in their convincing win against Hampshire Academy on the opening day, looked set for another big total.

Openers Tom Morton (48) and Eddie Abel put on a rapid 95 for the first wicket before the hosts quickly advanced to an imposing 177-2 with 19 overs in hand.

However, spinner Dom Hand came on to account for Abel (76) before Matt Metcalfe returned to claim the wickets of James Hayward (37) and Joe Cranch as Wilts slowed to 212-5.

Metcalfe (4-48) continued to apply the brakes, although South Wilts’s 263-9 always looked likely to test Lymington who were without talismanic all-rounder Darren Cowley and Lewis McManus, who is making his LV= County Championship debut for Hampshire at Headingly.

And so it proved as the visitors were soon in trouble at 33-3 with a devastating opening spell from James Hibberd (5-18) seeing him claim the wickets of Ben Rogers, Damien Edwards and Ryan Scott.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and Lymington, who had opened the season with a Cowley-inspired 168-run win against St Cross Symondians, were 84-7 before Metcalfe (35) and Chris Jennings (30) made an impact lower down the order.

Lymington were eventually dismissed for 148, giving South Wilts a handsome 115-run victory on Saturday – and their second consecutive 100-run plus win.