IT'S a different pecking order in the natural world to the one in cricket where it's still possible for a Robin to bring down Eagles.

Rockin' Robin Smith rolled back the years with a match-winning unbeaten 97 to lead his side to a pulsating three-wicket win with three balls to spare in yesterday's CGU National League relegation cruncher.

Smith led from the front, knowing a win would virtually condemn Essex Eagles to relegation while adding further fuel to the fire of belief that Hampshire Hawks can beat the drop.

The 105-ball knock was Smith's highest score in a any form of cricket this season, and almost an act of self-faith on the Hampshire skipper's part that he can still play the big one-day innings.

Smith almost did a Devon Lock and nosedived with the post in sight.

Needing six to win off the last over, the tingle factor was already increased by Essex's mind-game delaying tactics, which earned them barracking from the crowd.

Smith pummelled Ricky Anderson's first delivery for four but his desire for the winning-hit boundary that would also have brought him a century saw him loop the gentlest of leading edges to mid-on.

Peter Such was under it, and it looked as though a new Hawks batsman would have to come to the middle under immense pressure.

Such, though, is counted among those cursed by a recall to the England colours. A catch a toddler with a dummy would have held was spilled by a man with butter fingers. Smith scampered through, leaving Adie Aymes to hit the winning run with three balls to spare.

Ultimately, Hampshire timed their dip-finish to the line like sprinter Maurice Green. Not bad considering they tripped coming out of the blocks and were reduced to 34-3.

It needed somebody to bat through and Smith provided that backbone, his innings almost a re-run of a fondly remembered film.

The timing of his driving was impeccable, his cutting as brutal of old, and that shot off his pads he despatches to square-leg was placed to perfection as he posted nine fours.

Lieutenants he found in Giles White, with whom he added 54 in 11 overs, and John Stephenson.

Stephenson lofted Paul Grayson for a six, and Smith followed it with two more and they blasted 61 off ten overs to put Hampshire in sight, and this time they showed the steady nerve to get home, despite a best bowling return in any form of limited overs cricket of 5-33 from Ronnie Irani For a while, it looked as though Hawks had fought D Law, and D Law was going to win as Danny Law pushed Essex to a competitive target off a rain-reduced 33 overs. He accelerated into a 62-run partnership with Irani.

Tight bowling from Nixon McLean and Dimi Mascarenhas looked capable of keeping Essex within manageable proportions, but Grayson and Stephen Peters took advantage of a rare off-day from Peter Hartley to biff 60 off just seven overs to present Smith with a target to get his teeth into.

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