A STUNNING bowling performance from South Wilts’ spinner Paul Draper hauled the seconds out of a rut and kept them in the promotion race.

For much of the day, it appeared that South Wilts promotion hopes were dying a slow death after their batsmen put in a below-par display, but from 51-1 chasing a paltry 120, St Cross subsided to 100 all out as veteran left-arm spinner Draper took 5-15.

After the Gosport collapse two weeks ago, South Wilts had shown they could bat last week against a strong Havant seconds side but all that good work appeared to be heading south.

Sam Arnold (21) and Sam Pittman (28) were the only batsmen to make much impression and the steady leakage of wickets meant that the visitors were bowled out with 12 overs remaining.

Graham Barrett (13) drove to Will Wade on the drive to give Draper a first wicket and the doorway back into the match was ajar. Draper barged straight through, rolling back the years with a vintage spell of left-arm spin.

Opener Paul Hawkins had looked relatively untroubled while the carnage was taking place at the other end but, with Draper and Sam Pittman nearing the end of their spells, skipper Tom Pearce shuffled the pack and re-introduced Dom Webb.

His first ball had Hawkins (44) caught behind by Sam Pittman. And when Draper picked up his fifth wicket with Fay caught at short leg by Rob Pittman, the game seemed up at 76-9. Eight wickets had fallen for just 27 runs.

Just when it looked like the game was going down to the wire, Rob Pittman (3-25) finally beat Mitchell’s defence to bowl him for 16 and leave Perry-Lewis on eight not out as St Cross were all out for 100, giving South Wilts a 20-run win.

Luke Hansford and Miles Kantolinna shared an unbroken double-century partnership as South Wilts III swept to a crushing nine-wicket win over County Division 3 North rivals Flamingo at Bemerton.

Set to overhaul a Flamingo total of 235-9 (Tom Lewis 4-35), South Wilts saw Daren Sargent run out with only four runs on the board.

But the teenage Kantolinna, who hit his fifth century of the season, and Hansford changed the face of the game with an undefeated club 3rd XI stand of 232.

Kantolinna pierced the boundary rope 20 times, while Hansford cleared it twice alongside hitting 15 other fours.

After a run of defeats, South Wilts fourths needed a win to allay any fears of slipping too low in Regional Two West and they managed it but, only just, with one wicket and one wicket in hand.

South Wilts under-11s maintained their position at the top of the Wiltshire Youth Cricket League with a late August title-decider with Burbage looking increasingly likely.

The under-13s had a good win over Dorset U12B. George Milton (49) and Adam Young (31) top-scored as South Wilts posted 191-9 off their 40 overs.

The under-15s, meanwhile, had a weekend off as they await their big day on Monday.