HOOK and Newnham Basics returned to winning ways with a thrilling victory at Liphook and Ripsley by three wickets with three balls to spare.

The home side elected to bat first and opener Rob Nicklin was back in the pavilion with just seven scored.

Liphook recovered as Ryan Covey (54) and Gabriel Broadhurst (39) added 78 for the second wicket, and then Broadhurst and Suman Ganguly (22 from 28 balls) moved the total to 124.

The prized wicket of hard hitting all-rounder Ganguly was taken by a smart caught and bowled from Rhodes Franklin (3-40).

From here wickets started to fall as Liphook slipped to 148-6.

It was left to Grant Rouse with a half century from 54 balls, which included three fours and to sixes to help them to a score of 236-9.

Hook suffered the early loss of Josh Buckingham (6), but skipper Ben Thane (67) and Matt Love (33) built a platform.

When Love was the second man the score had reached 83 and then Matt Buckingham (24) along with Thane took the total to 136.

The Hook captain was the fourth man out, making it 161-4, but from there his side dug in, as Nick Willcock (24), Kieran Thomson (12) and Richard Willcock (17) kept the scoreboard ticking over.

It was left to Franklin (24 not out) and Anik Divecha to see the visitors over the line.

This weekend, Hook now fourth, take on third placed Bournemouth, as they look to haul themselves back into the title shake-up.