RELEGATED New Milton finally ended a dreadful run of 13 successive Southern Premier League defeats with a win over arch rivals Lymington.

They beat their neighbours by 64 runs at Fernhill – a success they thoroughly deserved on the day, according to club chairman Steve Taylor.

“The lads deserved this win as they have stuck together all season,” he said.

“The fact that it was Lymington we beat was a bonus, but we played better cricket than them throughout the whole game.”

New Milton’s 161 for nine owed much to opener Tom Arnold, who knuckled down to score a 157-ball 71, batting all bar two of the 50 overs.

“Tom’s knock was brilliant. After Ryan Beck (26) had gone (at 60-1), he held us together when others couldn’t seem to stick around,” Taylor added.

Arnold was eventually ninth man out at 151, Ryan Scott taking three for 26 – his trio of wickets coming in 10 balls as Milton’s middle-order folded – and the emerging Josh Royan two for 26.

New Milton’s new skipper George Watts (2-15) nailed Lymington's Oli Calcott and Scott for ducks, after which it was an uphill struggle for the visitors.

“The bowlers all stuck to their tasks and they bowled well as a unit,” Taylor continued.

Dom Hand (24) and Queenslander James Grady dug in, but as Dan Loader (3-18) and Nic Gargaro (3-25) began to create inroads, only Royan (21 not out) clung on.

Lymington fell away to a dismal 97 and, unless they can beat either Bashley or leaders St Cross in their last two games, will finish second from bottom.

Meanwhile, Bashley suffered a four-wicket defeat against Burridge – their fifth consecutive reverse in the Southern Premier League.

Joe Collings-Wells (85) and Hilio De Abreu (72 not out) batted Burridge to success after Hampshire under-17 paceman Oli Southon (3-44) had blasted out Bashley’s top three batsmen for a combined total of five runs to leave them rocking at 14 for three.

With Hampshire’s Lewis McManus having pulled out of the starting line-up the previous evening, it was left to Bashley skipper Michael Porter (21) to initiate the repairs.

He departed at 44 for four, leaving Bournemouth University student Sam Kennett (63) and 16-year old Ringwood schoolboy Alex Turner (65 not out) to dig in with a partnership of 111.

Together, they progressed the Bashley total to 155 before three wickets fell for as many runs, leaving the hosts grateful for an eventual 202 for eight.

Although Burridge’s run chase did not run smoothly, they won at a breeze, with almost 10 overs to spare.

At 62, Sean Read (4-37) nipped out James Richards and the prolific Richard Lock.

But Collings-Wells, one of eight Premier Division batsmen with 500-plus runs to his credit this summer, was in fine form.

With a six and 13 fours, he launched into a typically-aggressive 85 which largely won the game for the visitors.

He added 92 with De Abreu, whose unbeaten 72 saw Burridge across the line after had caused unease in the ranks with two more wickets.

Burridge won with 204 for six to keep the pressure on St Cross at the top.