SOUTH Wilts seconds allowed a number of good opportunities to slip from their grasp against Trojans, who had to dig deep to retain their their unbeaten Southern Premier League Division 2 start at Bemerton.

They lost by 12 runs in the end, but the result – a fifth successive victory for the Stoneham club - owed much to the Trojans lower order, writes Mike Vimpany.

South Wilts didn’t allow Trojans to get going with the bat; for once, openers Ed Boyd and Simon Williams didn’t prosper, so fifth-wicket pair Dan Babidge (39) and Ed Pope (27) had to repair the damage from an uncertain 56-4.

South Wilts continued to chip away and probably fancied their chances with Trojans deeper in the mire at 122-8.

But the 56 runs Nick Freeman (40) and Jamie Donaldson (26) added for the ninth wicket proved crucial and enabled Trojans to post a 197 total (Rob Pittman 3-38) which proved just beyond South Wilts’ reach.

The inroads Fiasal Rahim (2-22) and Donaldson (2-32) created left South Wilts’ 35-4 and later 73-5.

Tom Pearce (53) found reliable partners in Stephen Kydd (30), Christian Pain (25) and Paul Draper (23) and at 175-7, the outcome was in the balance.

But South Wilts lost their last four wickets for ten runs, including Pearce who was last man out, under-estimating the fielding prowess of Simon Williams at third-man.

It is understood that three Trojans cricketers have been reported to the Premier League by the umpires on ‘behavioural issues’ following the SPL3 match at Bemerton.