SOUTH Wilts are ramping up their ECB Southern Electric Premier Division title defence and closing the gap on Ventnor at the top of the table, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

While the table-topping Islanders were washed out at Alton – only two overs were bowled before the rain came at the Jubilee Ground – South Wilts thrashed the Hampshire Academy by 119 runs at Bemerton to leapfrog Lymington into second place.

They now lie just 11 points behind Ventnor, who come to Wilton Road on Saturday week.

Before that, South Wilts have the small matter of a trip to thirdplaced Bashley (Rydal).

“They are two massive games that promise to shape our season,”

says South Wilts skipper James Hayward.

“We’ve picked ourselves up after losing to Alton. Beating Lymington and now the Academy has given us a lot of confidence.”

Eddie Abel and James Hibberd each hit half-centuries for South Wilts against the Hampshire Academy, while Jack Sheppard took four wickets.

Virtually the only plus for the young county starlets was the performance of first team allrounder Chris Wood, who has been troubled by knee problems and ruled out of recent county championship cricket.

Wood took two wickets for just three runs in an eight-over stint with the ball and made 64 of the Academy’s 156 all out.

That score was never likely to threaten South Wilts’ powerful 275-6 declared, built around two partnerships.

Wood struck early, pinning Tom Morton leg before wicket, but Steve Riddle (39) and stocky lefthander Eddie Abel, who ended a recent run drought with a fine 79, helped South Wilts to a commanding position at lunch.

Left-arm paceman Tom Barber (3-56) gave South Wilts post-lunch indigestion with a three-wicket spell, which reduced the defending SPL champions to 181-6.

Ryan Burl (16), Hayward (10) and Joe Cranch (0) all perished to the left-armer, who played England under 19s in South Africa last winter.

That was probably the Academy’s best spell of the match as James Hibberd (60 not out) and Owen Alsop (30 not out) took the game away from the Young Royals, adding an unbroken 94 to enable South Wilts to declare at 275-6.

Jack Sheppard was probably confused which dressing room to change in when he arrived at Bemerton – he often turns out for the Academy under the SPL’s dual-registration regulations – but he made his presence felt wearing a South Wilts shirt.

The Academy’s reply never got going and after initial inroads by Sheppard (4-34), it was left to Wood (68) and Tom Alsop (33) to provide the innings with some sort of substance.

They took the Academy score to 125-3, but a massive collapse – initiated by Hibberd (3-29) – saw the reply crumble to 156 all out.

The Academy lost their last four wickets to Sheppard and Hibberd without adding a single run.