ROWLEDGE gave a fine all-round performance to beat Hartley Wintney last Saturday and so ensure their SEPL Division One survival.

Hartley, deep in the relegation mire, decided to bat and Rowledge made a great start when Alex Bloomfield rather inevitably dismissed Richard Hill with a delivery that clipped the top of middle.

Chris Yates Snr piled on the pressure with eight overs for just nine runs and when first-change George Keeley, the 17-year-old spinner, had Dan Plume caught at mid-wicket, Hartley had laboured to 34-2

Left-hander Jack Hersh and opener Matt Kerr put together a decent partnership and the home side were just short of 100 when Bloomfield returned to york Hersh.

The introduction of Chris Board proved decisive.?He bowled overseas player Aaron Wivell and castled Dan Wrenn first ball. And when Board bowled Jon Kerr, also for a duck, Hartley had tumbled to 144-6.

All the while, Kerr was scoring well and went on to make a disciplined 79 off 131 balls before GCSE star Jake Wish accounted for him.

Chris Jolly slapped Board to mid-on and David Lloyd bowled a very defensive Rex Porter as Hartley Wintney closed on 162-9 from their 50 overs.

They would have been eyeing a minimum score of 200 and so Rowledge were pleased with their efforts, although acutely aware that batting has been their weak spot all season.

The visitors suffered an early setback when Ricky Yates nicked Ollie Waddington, but a partnership of 84 between Chris Yates Jnr (39) and man-of-the-match Board (46) set Rowledge on their way in a comfortable run-chase.

Off-spinner Wivell was the only bowler to pose any great threat and he took 3 for 24 off ten overs, cleverly varying his pace. He claimed the wickets of Yates Jnr, Board and Bloomfield, who fell to a superb running and diving catch by Kerr.

However, Lloyd and Ian Metcalfe remained calm and saw Rowledge home without any further alarms in the 42nd over.

Hartley are now in a three-way tussle with Totton & Eling and Calmore Sports over the two relegation spots.