JUBILANT captain Simon Beetham said Lymington had always had faith in Ben Rogers after the teenager finally came to the party for the Premier Division strugglers.

Rogers cracked his maiden Southern Premier League century to spearhead Lymington to a crucial six-wicket win over Hampshire Academy on the Ageas Bowl nursery ground.

The 19-year-old, a winter recruit from Bournemouth, hit 14 fours and four sixes in his whirlwind 71-ball stay, his boundary-laden 110 helping the Larks climb off the foot of the table.

Rogers, who made one appearance for Dorset in the Minor Counties Championship last season, had been hopelessly out of form for Lymington having mustered just 44 from seven previous knocks.

Beetham told the Daily Echo: “We were all very pleased for Ben. He is one of our younger guys and, although it had not quite happened for him this season, we knew it was just a matter of time.

“He won us the game at an absolute canter. He is a very talented player and some of the shots he played were just ridiculous. It was a fantastic innings.”

Beetham (2-34), Matt Metcalfe (2-41) and Paul McCann (2-51) were all among the wickets as Lymington restricted the Academy to 205 for seven in a match reduced to 44 overs a side.

And after Rogers and Dorset star Ryan Scott (48) had put on 132 for the second wicket, victory was never in doubt with Darren Cowley (30) ensuring Lymington would romp home at 207 for four with more than 15 overs to spare.

Beetham added: “Things weren’t looking great after we had lost last week and it lifts morale when you win. In the context of the bottom of the table run-in, it was a massive win. The situation certainly looks a lot better for us now.

“We have easily got a good enough team to play in this league, it is just about whether we can string together the results.

"We don’t want our fate left in the hands of other teams and, hopefully, this win can be a springboard.”

Also in the Premier Division, James Morris played a starring role as Bashley ended a seven-match winless run with a four-wicket victory away to Totton & Eling.

Morris (4-12) added to the efforts of Andy Neal (2-33) and Simon Watkins (2-76) as Totton posted 253 for nine thanks to the exploits of James Haggaty (137).

The Bashley reply received a solid start with Michael Porter (60) and Neil Thurgood (22) sharing 65 for the first wicket.

James Morris (58) and Jaron Morgan (48*) then put on 60 for the fifth wicket to take Bashley to within sight of victory, the visitors reaching 254 for six from 50.3 overs.