Totton & Eling’s 15-year spell as an ECB Southern Electric Premier League club ended with a crushing ten-wicket defeat by the Hampshire Academy, who chased down 267-8 to win with nine overs to spare.

It left the marooned at the bottom, with only one win from 14 matches, ten of which they lost.

Tom Alsop and Joe Weatherley swept the Academy to victory – their unbroken 270-run partnership being the third highest recorded in the Premier Division.

Totton needed a big win if they were to have any remote chance of escaping the drop – but at least they gave themselves a fighting chance after a farewell century by South Australia prospect Cameron Valente pointed them to 267-8.

The Adelaide teenager hit two sixes and 15 fours in his 116 and shared a second wicket stand of 182 with Tom Arnold, whose 72 was an SPL best.

Once they were parted, Matt King (3-47) and occasional off-spinner Joe Weatherley (3-33) sliced their way through the remainder of a fragile Totton batting order.

Totton were simply blown away after that – Alsop and Weatherley, fresh back from young England duty, both producing chanceless innings.

Alsop breached the Nursery Ground boundary rope 27 times on his way to a Premier League best 155, while Weatherley struck a six and 12 fours, just missing out an a century when the Totton target was reached at the end of the 41st over.

The result sentenced Totton & Eling to a double relegation, their second team having finished bottom of Division 2.