SOUTH Wilts' Wilton Road ground has certainly been the place to be this summer for tense, exciting cricket and Saturday proved no exception as another low-scoring nail-biter produced a sixth straight win for the hosts.

Totton & Eling were the visitors and there was little doubt that the contest was ever going to be anything but a low-scoring encounter.

Following the week's monsoon-like weather, the wicket was sodden at one end and it was no surprise that on winning the toss Tom Morton invited Totton to bat.

The inconsistency of the bounce was to be a feature of the day and from the moment that Wiltshire opener Damian Shirazi was clean bowled by one that kept cruelly low, it was evident that batsmen would have to play everything off the front foot.

Simon Branston claimed the first wicket, but from 13-1 it became the James Hibberd show.

In prime form having picked up successive five-wicket hauls, the sight of a damp wicket would not have lessened his confidence and he struck three times with the score on 17.

First Archie Norris was bowled, then former Hampshire star Lee Savident was caught behind and next ball David Banks was superbly caught by Andy Hayward at short cover.

When Rob Franklin went back to a ball just short of a length to have his stumps rearranged, Totton were in all sorts of trouble at 25-5.

Former Hampshire batsman Derek Kenway was digging in for the long haul and it was to be largely down to his efforts that any sort of a score was posted.

Totton's batsman just could not cope with Hibberd and one always sensed it was only a matter of time before the next wicket fell.

Nigel Bungay was trapped lbw for 33-6 and then Matt Metcalfe was undone by one that spat off a length to loop the ball back to Hibberd.

On his way back to the pavilion Metcalfe was no doubt licking his lips at the prospect of getting the ball in his hand later.

Hibberd produced a sharp low return catch to send James Manning back just two balls later to leave Totton at 49-8.

Skipper Richard Dibden then joined Kenway to eke out some valuable runs, but the last ball before lunch delivered the wicket South Wilts wanted.

Kenway went back to pull a short ball from Hibberd only for it to shoot through low and trap him in front - Kenway had batted well for his 35 and it was indeed a cruel blow for Totton.

Hibberd led the Salisbury side off at lunch having taken eight of the nine wickets to fall!

Totton were 71-9 but well aware that even with such a low score, they still had a decent chance.

Afterwards Dan Goldstraw and Dibden put together a valiant tenth wicket stand before Gold-straw was caught and bowled by Paul Draper for 13.

Dibden finished with 11 not out and his side would have been relatively content to reach 100 all out as Hibberd finished with career-best figures of 21-9-31-8.

South Wilts knew full well that this chase was not going to be a walk in the park.

Their batting line-up was already weakened without the injured James Hayward, absent Rob Wade and also Steve Riddle, who has returned to his home club in Hertford following the end of his university year.

A decent start was required and the hosts did at least get this as Mark House and Draper took the score to 24.

However, the target soon looked a million miles away as the wickets began to tumble. House, 11, was bowled by Goldstraw, then Eddie Abel, Tom Morton and Draper all fell to Metcalfe as South Wilts plunged to 29-4.

Hayward went the same way at 37-5, before James Hibberd and Rob Pittman tried to dig South Wilts out of the hole they were in.

Both batted for more than 30 balls but the scoreboard was moving very slowly.

Hibberd, ten, was next to go as Goldstraw breached his defences and at 49-6 Branston joined Pittman.

Pittman departed at 59-7 and then when Rob Magee and Ross Crick followed quickly, South Wilts were seemingly down and out at 65-9!

Chasing these low scores on difficult wickets, there is a school of thought that says you need to be positive and play your shots - after all, at any given moment you might get an unplayable one and be on your way back. Branston clearly believed this theory and with Dom Ducellier keeping the ball out at the other end, went on all-out attack.

A couple of boundaries and a six later and South Wilts had reached 82-9, and as Metcalfe prepared to start another over after Ducellier had just survived a torrid one from Goldstraw, the moment had arrived!

Two boundaries, one off a no ball, and a couple of twos later and the score was 95-9.

Victory was one hit away and one proved enough as Branston drove over long-on for a superb maximum to secure a remarkable win.

Totton were devastated, not least Goldstraw, 3-35, and Metcalfe, 6-56, who had bowled unchanged for 33 overs.

In stark contrast, South Wilts were elated - Branston, whose innings was so out of context with the rest of the game, finished unbeaten on a run a ball 44, his innings including four fours and two sixes.

Tom Morton could not hide his delight: "Incredible! We'd all but given up hope and then came Simmo's knock!

"I asked Simmo what he was thinking about before that last ball. He replied that he'd started to think about it and then decided not to bother thinking and just give it a whack!"

The win, coupled with Bournemouth's shock defeat at St Cross, where they were bowled out for 44 chasing just 53, elevates South Wilts into third place ahead of Saturday's home game with second-placed Hampshire Academy.

6:45am Thursday 17th July 2008

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