BASINGSTOKE and North Hants are all but mathematically safe from relegation from the ECB Southern Premier League's top tier after an emphatic 94-run win over Lymington at May's Bounty.

Their fifth win of the season effectively takes them 34 points above bottom club Havant - whom they visit on Saturday - with three games to go.

Teenager Abdullah Abid and left-hander Matt Deadman had special reason to celebrate the win. Abid, who was Hampshire's U15 player of the year in 2023, made his maiden Premier League half-century, whilst Deadman’s unbeaten 63 was his first 50 of the summer. Abid (52) and Alex Bovill (32) gave Basingstoke a solid start which George Metzger expanded with a quickfire 40.

Deadman has benefitted from batting in the middle-order as opposed to his previous exposed opening role and cashed in with a fine 63, which included a six and seven fours. Joe Oates (23) chipped in as Basingstoke's 263-9 (Gareth Berg 3-49) effectively batted Lymington out of the game.

Lymington's batting never got going. Opener Kam Dhariwal (25) began well enough, but after that only Conor Moors (31) and Jovan Dhariwal (26 not out) made their mark before Matt Donaldson (3-29) finished their reply at 169 all out.