St Cross Symondians clinched a second Premier Division title in four seasons (and third overall) with a five-wicket win over Bournemouth at the Green Jackets. Twenty four hours - and precious little sleep - later they beat Portsmouth by 40 runs in the T20 Cup semi-final.

St Cross will go to the T20 final with the Premier championship already secured - Ewan Neilson, from the Melville grade club in Western Australia, reducing Bournemouth to 17-3 by the end of the fourth over. The Australian seamer, who has taken 13 wickets in his last five matches, finished with 3-27 - the scalps of James Van Gool and Simon Woodruff with consecutive deliveries and then Dorset captain Luke Webb.

By the end of the 22nd over, Bournemouth were reeling at 70-8, left-arm spinner Charlie Gwynn (3-17) having joined the wicket taking party. Bournemouth have shown an increasing amount of lower-order character in recent weeks and were spared embarrassment by 15-year old Bryanston prodigy Alfie Appleby-Ingram (43) and Oli Breckon, who made 35 not out. Alfie Appleby-Ingram hit 115 for Dorset U18s in midweek and shared a face saving half-century stand with Breckon as Bournemouth reached 142.

Bournemouth, struggling in the lower echelons of the table all summer long, were immediately on the back foot as Gregor McKenzie struck three boundaries off the five balls he received. They created some inroads to Symondians’ powerful top order, dismissing Hampshire’s Felix Organ and Kam Dhariwal, but Dom Kelly ensured there were no untimely slip ups. He hit a quality 54 not out (one six and seven fours) and shared a lively stand with Gareth Schreuder (22) as St Cross collected the 21 points they needed to clinch the title.
The final match of the season will be at home to second placed Alton on Saturday.

St Cross Symondians skipper Ed Ellis took his entire squad for a ‘freshening’ dip in the sea off Southsea seafront before the T20 Cup semi-final win over Portsmouth - and it worked! “There were understandably a few sore heads after the Bournemouth win, so the lads were nice and fresh before we started,” Ellis laughed.

It didn’t do them any harm at all as Jack Bransgrove and Harry Trussler each made 35 before Schreuder smacked 56, including two sixes and seven fours. Symondans’ 178-4 was never under serious threat after Portsmouth lost early wickets. James Christian (35) top scored, with Simon Beetham and Ewan Neilson sharing six wickets. They made 138-9 in reply.

Cup final opponents are Lymington, who beat Basingstoke & North Hants (114 all out) by four wickets with five balls to spare.

The final is scheduled for Saturday September 6th, 2.00pm start at St Cross