South Wilts are red hot favourites for a second consecutive ECB Southern Electric Premier League title after sending six-times champions Havant spinning to a five-wicket defeat.

Spin duo Ryan Burl and Rob Franklin took nine of the wickets as Havant crashed from 134-2 to 217 all out.

South Wilts lost five wickets chasing down the target, but were always in control.

“It was the result we wanted. Havant had beaten us the previous two occasions we’d met,” South Wilts skipper James Hayward pointed out.

“If the result had gone the other way, the championship race would have a very different look about it, but we’re firmly in the driving seat now.

Hayward believes the Havant win has put his side in the perfect frame of mind for Wednesday's Southern Electric t20 Cup final showdown against Buridge under the Ageas Bowl floodlights, 7pm.

“As a confidence booster it could have been better timed. We’re really looking forward to the cup final: we’ve under-achieved in that competition for too long,” he added.

Havant arguably had the better of the morning session, certainly while Robert Gibson (57) and Steve Dean (46) were at the crease.

But, having moved on to 134-2, they lost their way, with three wickets falling in quick succession either side of the lunch break.

Gibson’s dismissal – the third of a five-wicket haul by teenage Zimbabwe prospect Ryan Burl (5-88) – in the first over after lunch sent the innings into freefall.

Both Burl, bowling leg-spin, and off-spinner Franklin relished bowling on the worn surface and extracted turn which clearly worried the Havant batsmen.

Ben Walker (29) and Richard Hindley (25) made starts, but with Burl and Franklin ruling the roost, the lower-order produced little and the innings closed at 217 all ougt in the 58th over.

With five specialist spin bowlers in their side and a wearing surface on which to ply their trade, Havant might have expected to stretch South Wilts.

But the threat never materialised – Havant bowled far too loose and allowed South Wilts to score at five runs an over from the start.

Steve Riddle (41 and Tom Morton (41) both survived straight-forward close catches, to give South Wilts a 63-run launch pad.

Havant’s out-cricket was below their normal high standards and South Wilts thrived.

Riddle and Jack Mynott (47) doubled the score and more before both batsmen fell at 140.

The wobble was brief and South Wilts were soon on their way again.

Burl (20) and James Hayward, with an unbeaten 49, added a further 69 to take the visitors to the brink of victory before two more wickets fell and give Havant an unexpected bowling bonus point.