LIPHOOK and Ripsley have been crowned Southern Premier Cricket League Division 2 champions after a final-day win at Bashley’s second team.

Liphook went into the final game needing only one point to secure promotion, but knew a win would hand them the title.

Liphook were put into bat by the hosts. Openers Ryan Covey and Chris Martin set about their work against a very youthful and inexperienced Bashley bowling attack.

The pair put on 59 for the first wicket before Martin was stumped off the bowling of Sean Mulley for 16.

This brought Suman Ganguly to the crease, looking as elegant as ever as he raced to 25, but a loose shot saw him bowled with the score at 96.

Harry Munt joined Covey in the middle with Liphook needing four runs to get past the 100 mark and secure the batting point they needed to get promotion.

Both batsmen continued to rotate the strike and pounced on any bad balls as they shared an 85-run partnership, with Covey passing 50. Munt was removed caught behind for 39 off just 33 balls.

Covey was dismissed with just four overs to go, caught in the deep off the bowling of Sam Stroud for 86 as he tried to up the tempo to get to his century. A couple of late big hits from Grant Rouse meant that Liphook posted 224 for five off their allotted overs.

The run chase started well for the home side as openers Josh Parsons and Mulley put on 44 before Sean Burton removed Parsons.

The hosts then lost their next three wickets for 25 runs as Charles Janczur (two for 21) and George Neave (one for 17) did the damage.

Stroud (17) and Thom Reid (18) offered some resistance, but young left-arm spinner Oscar Amis picked up three wickets as Bashley finished on 129 for nine.

Liphook ran out winners by a comfortable 95 runs.