THE ECB Southern Electric Premier League leadership has changed hands for the fourth successive week, with Bournemouth being nudged off top spot by Havant.

Bournemouth, who went top after beating Portsmouth last week, were held to the first draw in the nine-week session of all-day 'time' cricket at Bashley (Rydal) - the match seldom looking likely to produce a positive result.

They scored their 235-9 off the full 64-over quota, but finished on the wrong side of a 'losing draw' when Bashley, batting 56 overs, passed the 206 they required to get in by a faster overall scoring rate of 3.86 runs per over.

Losing three wickets - two of them to the lively Tasmanian Rob Hodgson - before they reached 50, nullified any realistic chance Bashley had of winning the match outright.

The batting performances of the two ex-county cricketers on view - Bournemouth captain Richard Scott and Bashley (Rydal) left-hander Andy Sexton caught the eye in a derby that always had something about it until its rather tedious anti-climax.

Scott was at his fluent best, looking a notch or two above the rest as he creamed 95, while Sexton, dropping down to four in the order, battened Bashley's middle-order down after a creaky start.

The left-handed Scott, arguably still the best batsman at Premier One level, held Bournemouth's innings together while many fell around him.

His innings included 16 boundaries and he was seventh out, an hour after lunch, with Bournemouth at an uncertain 168-7.

"There were no big shots in Scotty's innings. He knows exactly where his strengths are and plays to them," praised Bashley captain Matt King.

He timed some exquisite shots through mid-on and mid-off and several more through the cover and mid-wicket areas - only to become one of Shaun Lilley's four victims when fatigue set in during the 'nervous nineties' and Shawn Gillies got one to nip away.

"His innings was an example to everyone else how to keep the game simple," King added.

"Everyone playing and watching should have learned something from his innings."

But once again Scott got little back up from his erratic top order - only Dan Jackson (21) and Neil Harrison-Smith (22) offering much support as Gillies (3-54) and King (3-55) probed away.

Bournemouth could have lost but for a timely eighth wicket recovery launched by David Kidner (32 not out) and Martin Miller (26), who seems to be batting about four places too low in the order.

They hoisted Bournemouth to 235-9 by the 64th and final over of the innings.

Hodgson produced a typically Australian response and really put his back into it, getting lift off what was a good 'cricket wicket'.

He made life distinctly uncomfortable, removing openers Neil Sexton and Neil Thurgood, and then watching with a smile as Martin Mixer bagged Gillies to leave Bashley in difficulty at 43-3.

But Andy Sexton knuckled down to the task, scoring a fine 64, which included ten fours.

With Andy Neal (47) alongside and playing some crisp straight and cover drives, Bashley progressed to 130 before Scott took a catch low down at mid-wicket to remove Sexton, who who was making his first real score of the season.

Bashley lost three wickets for 26 to slip to 156-6, but Bournemouth lacked the variety in their bowling to make any further inroads.

All but two of the 56 overs Bournemouth sent down were either left or right-arm seam - off-spinner Jackson being hastily withdrawn from the attack after removing Andy Sexton.

Hodgson got the ball to whistle past the helmets of Richard Knowles (32) and Neil Taylor (35), but generally bowled too short as the pair remained undefeated and guided Bashley towards their 206-run goal and achieve their 'winning draw.'

It meant for a tedious and chilly final hour ...