BASINGSTOKE and North Hants will have to win their final game of their Southern League Division One campaign at arch rivals Hook and Newnham Basics, to stand any chance of winning the title.

This was after the top two, leaders Calmore Sports and Basingstoke both won their penultimate games of the season yesterday.

So this leaves Calmore with an 18 point advantage going into the final weekend.

However, before the Bountymen can focus on the league title ambitions, there is the little matter of the Guy Jewell Cup final today, also against Hook at May’s Bounty which starts at 11am.

In Basingstoke’s latest league outing they returned from Tichborne Park with a two-wicket victory.

Having put the home side into bat, it took Martyn James just four runs to strike, but after this Pradeeptha Gunaratne (25) and Hector Don (13) saw them add 40 for the second wicket.

It was spin king Matt Thankachan (4-20), who then removed the top order as Tichborne found themselves 92-5.

This soon become 94-6 as Mitch Stokes struck and then Dave Griffiths (2-37) and Will Phillips (2-18) from three overs mopped up the tail as the home side were all out for 136.

Four of the top six Basingstoke batsmen made it into double figures, but no one got past 17, as the Bountymen found themselves 83-6, after Thomas Allen (2-47) and William Allen (3-13) did most of the damage.

It was left to seventh pair, Dave Griffiths (23) and Chris Jolley (23) to rescue the situation as they took the score to 124, before Griffiths was bowled by Edward Berry (2-37).

Five runs later, Jolley also departed, but Thankachan and James made sure of the win.

Meanwhile, today’s Guy Jewell Cup opposition Hook also enjoyed a win at Portsmouth.

The Pompey side decided to bat and were soon 62-4, thanks to Shane Brewer (3-46) and Ben Thane (2-48).

However, at this point, opener Jordan Palmer-Goddard (77) and Viktram Dawson (36) got the innings back on track with a fifth wicket stand worth 83.

Then thanks to an unbroken eight wicket partnership of 47, from Pradeep Bains (26) and Joseph Kooner-Evans (24) Portsmouth finished on 219-7.

A superb opening stand of 125, between Thane (73), which included 11 fours and one six and Richard Willcock (66) which saw him hit five fours and two sixs, put the visitors on the way to victory.

Then a quick fire 24 off 20 balls from Nick Willcock, which featured the last six of the game made sure of it.

Hook reached their target in the end with six wickets down and 27 balls to spare.