SOUTH Wilts are bracing themselves for a rollercoaster finale to the ECB Southern Premier League season.

With five rounds of white ball matches to go, they already have the time pennant in the trophy cabinet for a 10th time in 22 years.

But they will embark on the second phase of their 50-over games with a slender nine-point lead over St Cross Symondians and with the Hampshire Academy a threatening third.

The Hampshire teens play St Cross Symondians at the Nursery Ground on Saturday and South Wilts at Bemerton on August 13.

If they were to win them, the title race really will go down to the wire.

South Wilts, minus left-hand opener Jack Stearman (concussion) and Arthur Godsal (back), sank to defeat against Bournemouth, who completed to double over Ben Draper’s side at Wilton Road.

They chased down South Wilts’ modest 210 with a half-century by Jake Hurley key to a victory that has eased Bournemouth 14 points clear of Hook & Newnham Basics, who now occupy bottom place.

Oli Breckon (3-32) marked his Lions return with a critical new-ball spell, which accounted for Jack Mynott, Tom Morton (24) and Peter Rowe, the young seamer taking advantage of a green tinged surface.

With Simon Woodruff (3-36) removing Ben Draper for a duck, South Wilts were rocking at 59-4 and, after lunch, 131-7 with the left-arm seamer taking two more wickets, including teenager Matt Falconer (21) caught at slip.

Indian spin all-rounder Aaryan Sen (46) and Tom Grant were beginning the repair the damage when a superb piece of fielding by Tom Willoughby ran out the Mumbai youngster.

Grant remained to hit 51 and added a vital 40 for the last wicket with Matt Burton to set Bournemouth an intriguing 56-over run chase.

Tasmanian Tom Willoughby (38) underpinned a confident Bournemouth response, enjoying a 51-run start with Luke Webb (29) before both Woodruff (22) and Lewis Freak (28) produced cameo knocks.

Mynott made inroads with a spell of 5-47 which kept South Wilts in the hunt and when Rob Pack went at 167-6, the outcome was in the balance.

Just as he had done against Bashley the previous week, Hurley stepped up to the plate and won the match, sharing a key seventh-wicket stand of 36 with Chris Park, which took Bournemouth to 203, before completing his half-century, which included sixes off Sen and Barton.

Mynott nabbed a fourth and fifth wicket, including that of Hurley, but by then Bournemouth were almost home and dry.

Meanwhile, South Wilts second team youngsters Jasper Blackwood and Kit Blomfield combined with Tom Lewis to shatter Portsmouth & Southsea’s proud sequence of 12 straight wins.

They took all 10 wickets as South Wilts came away from St James’s Park with a surprise 81-run win – and a notable Southern Premier Division Three scalp.

The trio struck after Joe Cranch’s solid 68, which contained 10 boundaries, underpinned the top half of the South Wilts batting.

But at 124-8 and after Nick Partridge (15) had planted two sixes out of the ground, South Wilts weren’t in great shape.

Cue Blomfield (19), no mug with the bat, Lewis and Blackwood to add a precious 47 runs for the last two wickets and steer South Wilts towards a competitive 171 all out.

The trio then did what they are in the side to do – and that’s bowl the opposition out, something they did with stunning effect.

Harrow School’s Blackwood (4-24), bowling right-arm decidedly quick, ripped out the opposition’s top four, including prolific pair Matt Benfield and Jack Davies, to leave the league leaders wobbling at 47-4.

He handed the baton to Tom Lewis, who bowling in luminous yellow boots, struck two more blows.

The leg-spin of Blomfield was all too much for the Portsmouth & Southsea tail – the 16-year old taking 4-12 as the SPL Division Three table toppers lost their last five wickets for nine runs and were all out for 90.