Havant, the reigning league champions, were never stretched at Ripsley Park on Saturday.

Put in to bat by Duncan Berry, the visitors got off to the best possible start as Dominic Carson (85) and Australian Shane Gillies (48) put on 98 for the first wicket to more or less take the game away from Liphook.

The Liphook bowlers did rather better after the stand was broken and Ripsley old boy Richard Lewis (32) was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

However, helped by 34 extras, Havant reached 217-9 from their 50 overs and that was always going to be a formidable total on the lush wicket.

Chris Wright finished with 3 for 51, but off-spinner Ben Jansen was the pick of the bowlers.

Liphook again started disastrously, with Steve Riley, victim of a farcical run-out, and Michael Smyth back in the pavilion with only one run on the board.

Graham Tyler, Berry (28) and Jansen made useful contributions in the middle order, but there was too much to do. Thanks to the tenacity of Andy Brown, they manged to survive the 50 overs, but that was their only only consolation.

Havant 217-9; Liphook 132-9.

CO DIV III

Portchester beat Liphook II by 32 runs. Batting also proved to be the 2nd XI's achilles heel. Portchester recovered from 81-5 to total 161-6 from their 45 overs, with Peacock making 60. Garrett picked up three wickets. Wright, Dean and Davenport reached double figures for Liphook, but no batsman went on to dominate and the visitors fell away disappointingly, all out for 129.

EAST DIV II

Liphook III beat Easebourne by 8 wickets. The thirds were guided to an emphatic victory by the younger element of a well- balanced team. James Hall was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 5 for 15 from his 10 overs, and the home team only had to chase 104 for victory. Ross Cooper (24) and Peter Woodland (23) put on 47 for the first wicket, and another teenager, James France, scored 30 not out as Liphook won with 10 overs to spare.

l A severly weakened Liphook 4th XI suffered a heavy defeat at Midhurst. Laurence Fiddler was the only batsman to threaten the home team's dominance and he made a defiant 60.