South Wilts captain James Hayward forecasts that which-ever side boasts the best record in all-day Time pennant will emerge ECB Southern Electric Premier League champions.

That’s certainly been the case for the past two seasons when Havant (2011) and last year South Wilts enjoyed the best returns from the longer format of the game.

But not in 2009 and 2010 when South Wilts themselves won the Time flag, but didn’t go on to claim the title.

Hayward knows that far more consistency is needed from his top order batsmen if South Wilts really are going to get stuck into Ventnor’s lead at the top.

“We are not batting well as a group. Someone gets a fifty every week, but no one has got a 90, yet alone a century in a league game so far, though Eddie Abel and Ryan Burl have come close,” he pointed out.

South Wilts roared back from the Alton defeat to bowl Lymington off the top of the Premier Division table last week – and Hayward wants his team to take things on from there.

“We’ve got potentially our strongest side available tomorrow and a win against the Hampshire Academy is a must if we are going to push on,” he said.

The Academy are going nicely just now, with a moral victory over Alton – the visitors hung on for a draw, eight wickets down – following back-to-back wins over Bournemouth and Havant.

There’s a potential Alsop family ‘battle’ looming with Owen and Thomas on opposite sides, but the England Under-19 left-hander is an injury doubt.

Teenage batsman Luke Webb plays despite being struck in the face fielding at forward short-leg and taken to hospital during last week’s draw with Alton.

Webb has a badly bruised nose – but his mother has bought him a new helmet!

South Wilts: Morton, Riddle, Abel, Burl, Hayward, Hibberd, Cranch, Alsop, Franklin, Warner Sheppard.

Academy: Porter, George, McManus, Alsop, Webb, Weatherley, Green, Crane, Taylor, Barber, Murray.

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