SOUTH Wilts are being forced to play an unwanted game of catch-up in their defence of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League championship, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

An eight run defeat by Alton – the second loss in four games suffered by last year’s winners – has piled on the pressure for South Wilts to get a positive result at table-topping Lymington in the opening session of Time pennant cricket on Saturday (11.30am).

Reigning champions South Wilts were in danger of being bowled out for their lowest-ever total as they slid towards an undistinguished defeat by Alton under the noses of the club’s vice-presidents.

At 40-7 responding to Alton's modest 141, South Wilts were in serious danger of eclipsing their poorest 62 against Bournemouth ten years ago.

But a gallant 65 by tail-ender Rob Franklin, which included a half-century tenth wicket rally with Jack Sheppard, raised their final total to 133 – and to within a couple of boundaries of an astonishing victory. “It was just one of those days when everything went right for Alton,” Hayward said.

“Our batsmen will need to assess and look into how they could have done better, but you do also have to applaud the way the Alton new-ball guys bowled.

Runs were at a premium throughout a low-scoring affair in which 20 wickets fell for an aggregate 274 runs.

Teenager Will Phillips (49), who joined Alton from Hartley Wintney at the start of the season, batted longer than anyone else in the game – his 85-ball stint at the crease being vital to the Alton cause.

He departed at 95-5 having survived a three-wicket burst by Owen Alsop (3-27), which left Alton in early trouble at 37-3.

Ryan Burl's subsequent 4-23 return had Alton on the floor at 116-9, but Ben Mortimer, who later became the visitors' match winner with the ball, hit a precious 22 not out to lift the total to 141 (Franklin 2-22).

South Wilts soon lost Tom Morton but made their way to 27 before man-of-the-match Mortimer whisked out Steve Riddle, James Hibberd and Burl in the space of five balls.

The seamer didn't finish there, as Hayward and and Eddie Abel subsequently perished to leave the South Wilts team in a pickle at 40-7.

South Wilts will be without two of their most influential players when they face Andover in the Southern Electric twenty20 Cup second round at London Road on Sunday (4pm). Opener Tom Morton is playing for Wiltshire at Bemerton, while Zimbabwe teenager Ryan Burl is ruled out by work commitments.