Liphook & Ripsley v Fair Oak: LIPHOOK continued their good start to the season with a 131-run victory against Fair Oak on Saturday afternoon.

The home side elected to bat first, but lost the normally reliable Rob Nicklin and Harry Munt for nine and five respectively.

It was down to a typically flamboyant 65 from number four Suman Ganguly to set up the innings, and Ganguly was well supported by opener Chris Martin (40).

Ganguly seemed set for a century when he played a loose shot and was bowled by Charlie Gwynn (3-13) to leave Liphook on 151-7.

George Neave, Jonny Pryce and Ric Williams had all fallen cheaply, with Asad Abbas (2-39) and Gwynn re-establishing some control. Andy Barnes (40 not out) and the patient Sean Burton (19) added 63 for the eighth wicket as Liphook finished on 227-9 at the end of their allotted 50 overs.

Neave bowled Fair Oak opener Asad for a first ball duck and then trapped skipper Ed Kemp leg before wicket for 27.

Opener Will Hughes scored 35, but none of the other Fair Oak batsmen got into double figures thanks largely to an excellent spell by Sean Burton (5-21). Martin had two stumping victims, and Ganguly and Pryce each held on to fine catches.

Burton ran through the Fair Oak middle and lower order as the visitors slumped to a meagre 96 all out.

With three wins from four games Liphook remain in second place in the Southern Premier Cricket League Division 2 table, behind leaders Totton and Eling.