SOUTH Wilts re-booted their ECB Southern Electric Premier Division title defence with a key 37-run victory at Lymington – a result which left Whiteparish-based Matt Metcalfe a crestfallen loser, despite producing careerbest bowling figures.

He produced a stunning 9-51 return as South Wilts were dismissed for 171 and then hit a defiant 39 – but still finished on the losing side as Lymington, the overnight league leaders, were bowled out for 134 in reply, writes Mike Vimpany.

The Sports Ground surface favoured the respective sets of bowlers, who caused the batsmen to play and miss repeatedly, none more so than South Wilts’ opener Tom Morton (36), who held things together as Metcalfe removed three of the top order cheaply.

By lunch, James Hayward had been and gone for a typically enterprising 58 and, with Metcalfe finishing the morning session with a 6-44 return, the visitors dined uncomfortably on 152-7.

Joe Cranch (36) did his bit in the lower-order, but it was Metcalfe’s day – his figures of 9-51 from 21.4 overs containing seven catches (all taken behind square), James Hibberd (19) leg before and Steve Warner bowled for a duck.

But the Lymington all-rounder, part of the mid-winter playing exodus from Bournemouth, could hardly have expected to return home to Whiteparish empty handed.

Bowling from the same football ground end, Hibberd quickly nipped out Glyn Treagus and Cameron Grierson before Ali Jaffer (10) fell to a stunning one-handed catch, diving to his left, by Hayward to leave Lymington at 27-3.

Home hopes were clearly going to depend on Australian Scott Henry, who reached his half-century right on tea – but by then Lymington were 92-5 and second favourites.

Hayward slammed the visitors dressing door shut during the tea break – and left his team in no doubt what was expected of them in the evening session.

And the skipper didn’t have to wait long for a response.

Henry (51) was bowled by off-spinner Rob Franklin (4-20), whose canny four-wicket spell was to prove a match winner.

Lymington sank to 106-9 but, with Metcalfe (39) now playing a solo role with the bat, South Wilts were frustrated by a tenth-wicket stand of 28.

Lymington’s reply gradually crept closer but when Metcalfe drove hard and low, Zimbabwean teenager Ryan Burl dived to his right to pick up a stunning catch just inches from the ground.

Lymington were 134 all out and South Wilts were right back in the leadership race.

Next up for South Wilts is an all-day time pennant match against Hampshire’s promising Academy side, who have beaten Bournemouth and Havant in recent weeks and came within two wickets of a third straight win against Alton, who held out for a draw on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground.

“They ran us close in the Southern Electric twenty20 Cup recently and have some very handy young players, so it will be no cakewalk,” warns Hayward.