SIMON Beetham hit a half-century to rescue Lymington and set up an eventual four-wicket win over Fawley in the ECB Royal London national club championship at Holbury, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

Chasing Fawley’s modest 134 for eight in 45 overs, Lymington lost Darren Cowley early on and then saw both Damien Edwards and Cameron Grierson perish before their reply had reached 20.

Dom Hand (35) and Beetham steadied the ship, the Lymington captain going on to make an undefeated 56.

Cowley enjoyed far more success with the ball, his left-arm spin bowling yielding a three for 12 return as Kieron Earl (27) and Smith (31) top-scored for Fawley.

New Milton had high hopes of beating a Ventnor side weakened by the departure of several lead players but they lost by 12 runs.

Rob Snell was Ventnor’s hero, hitting a half-century and ripping out three of Milton’s top four batsmen.

Snell initially imposed himself with the bat, hitting a six and seven fours in a lively 54 which propelled Ventnor to 94 for three.

Neil Westhorpe (42) and Martin Blackman (20) eased the island side to 170 for eight, despite Dan Loader chipping in with three for 21.

Ventnor’s prospects looked bleak when Mark House (40) and James Haggaty (33) took the New Milton reply to 73 without loss.

But rain was falling in the Steephill bowl. New Milton promptly lost four wickets for 12 runs, three of them to Snell, who finished with three for 36.

Lee Beck (40) kept the pot bubbling for New Milton but Hugh Callaway (four for 31) continued to make inroads and in the end Ventnor successfully defended 170, bowling the visitors out for 158.

Dan Damley-Jones was the hero of a handsome 92-run win by Burridge at Bashley (Rydal), where the visitors slumped to 26 for three and later 59 for four (Rick Ankers 27).

But with wickets falling all around him, teenager Damley-Jones steadied the Burridge ship with a superb 75 not out, which almost single-handedly guided the total to 171-9.

Bashley, for whom Kevin Nash took 3-20 and Simon Watkins 2-16, made a dismal 79 all out.