SALISBURY youngster Eddie Abel will probably spend the remainder of the summer playing cricket after he finishes his GCSE examinations at Bishop Wordsworth's School next month.

But he might yet be in line for a Hampshire Academy contract if he continues to show the promise that helped steer the Young Hawks to their first league win of the season.

He took four wickets for 33 runs in eight overs of telling left-arm spin to help pave the way for an Academy victory at the Rose Bowl.

The irony was that Abel, 16, achieved his success AGAINST South Wilts - the Bemerton club where he has been a budding junior for the past six years and last season graduated into the 2nd XI!

Special regulations allow the Hampshire Academy to include promising youngsters from other Premier and Hampshire League clubs in their weekend matches.

But, when Abel - who is set to sit ten GCSEs next month - was invited to the Rose Bowl for an eight-match trial it was somehow inevitable he would find himself playing against South Wilts, for whom he played in the Cockspur Cup yesterday.

But never in his wildest dreams did he imagine his left-arm slow bowling would help plot a four-wicket South Wilts defeat.

"To be honest, I was surprised when Giles White (Academy captain) threw me the ball and asked me to bowl.

"I was just expecting to play as an opening batsman. So to bowl eight overs and get four of the top order wickets was quite amazing," he beamed.

South Wilts were certainly in the ascendancy when Abel began his stint at the Arthur Holt Pavilion end on the lush Nursery ground.

Former Hampshire opener Jason Laney (56) and Wiltshire's Jamie Glasson (25) had punished some undistinguished pace bowling and, despite an economical ten-over stint off off-spin by Greg Lamb, South Wilts looked well placed to post a tall total at 108-1.

But the game twice took a decisive twist as South Wilts lost two wickets for just two runs at the mid-point of their innings.

First Glasson, who was threatening a significant contribution, holed out to David Wheeler at deep mid-wicket off Mitchell Stokes.

Two runs later and three balls into his very first over in Premier League cricket, Abel got a prize debut wicket - that of Laney, trapped leg before playing an expansive sweep shot.

"Jason's was certainly a plum wicket to get first up," grinned Abel, who later also did his bit with the bat.

Rod Wade (27) and Joe Cranch (22) partially repaired the damage - but in the space of ten minutes Abel ripped out the entire South Wilts middle-order.

The little left-armer with the ready smile cashed in as the South Wilts batsmen went for their shots.

He had Cranch caught by Giles White (155-4), Wade pouched by wicketkeeper Tom Burrows (161-5) and then Jon Chandler caught in the deep one run later.

"I got a fair bit of help from the pitch. The ball was turning, so I tossed it up and the fielders did the rest," Abel explained.

At 162-6, South Wilts could have capitulated.

But, as the tea interval approached, Danny Webb (27) and South African Alan Kruger put bat to ball.

They added a rapid 67, with Kruger - a hard-hitting all-rounder who plays provincial cricket for Griquiland West - thumping a six and seven fours in a 37-ball half-century.

He powered South Wilts to 253-8, leaving an Academy side, containing four rookie players, an asking rate of five runs an over.

But equally against a weakened South Wilts attack shorn of James Tomlinson, Alec Senneck and Adam Smith, who had combined to bowl Bournemouth out for 99 the previous week.

Kruger's opening over went for 16 - including a bizarre 'five' when Abel was clean bowled off a no-ball, which cannoned off the stumps and flew over the third-man boundary!

It was just the launch pad the Young Hawks needed.

Zimbabwean Greg Lamb, now residentially qualified, punished the bad ball and pasted nine boundaries, including four in successive deliveries from change bowler Chris Steedon.

Expansive, if not a little loose outside the off-stump, Lamb eventually fell for 52 - smartly stumped by Cranch off an Adie Holewell leg-side wide!

Abel had been patient and watchful, taking a lion's share of the deliveries from the pacy Kruger as Dave Griffiths, getting a rare opportunity to bat up the order, took on the aggressor's role.

The pair perished as the Academy had got to the dreaded 111 - Abel (19), who had just begun to play some nice shots, running himself out and Griffiths (27) being well caught low down in the deep by Kruger.

At 116-3, the game was back in the balance.

Tom Burrows (27) helped the score on to 167-4, but it was David Wheeler - back on the road to recovery after serious back ailments threatened a promising career - who took centre stage.

With Stokes (24) in support, the New Milton based youngster, a player in the Jon Ayling mould, struck a timely 63, including seven fours.

But just as Wheeler was on the brink of guiding the Academy home, he too got out (at 243-6), leaving 15-year old Dorset-raised left-hander Simon Watkins the responsibility of securing a four-wicket win.

"We made heavy weather of it, but got there in the end," sighed Academy captain Giles White.

"I accept that South Wilts were without three key bowlers, but to get 254 batting second was a fair achievement by the lads.

"We're blooding quite a few newcomers at the moment, so it's very much a learning experience for many of them.

"Our quick bowlers didn't get it right at all, but the three spinners - particularly young Eddie Abel - all had pleasing figures."

South Wilts skipper Rob Wade was less impressed and knows that, after consecutive defeats, beating Andover at Lower Bemerton next Saturday is a must.