LIPHOOK & Ripsley were home to rock-bottom Hartley Witney on Saturday, but the visitors fought tooth and nail to avoid a fifth straight defeat in the Southern Premier League Division One and only came up nine runs short in the end.

Charles Janczur confidently gave his side first knock, only to see openers Rob Nicklin and Ryan Covey both caught behind for ducks inside two overs and when Rick Williams was trapped in front by James Beckwith, Liphook were an alarming 14-3.

It was Harry Munt, Liphook’s most consistent batsman this season, who led the recovery, helped by Sam Franks and then Grant Rouse in stands of 59 and 39.

Munt and Sean Burton added a further 57 and Munt reached a maiden Premier League hundred, having batted 150 minutes and hit 11 fours and two sixes, before his superb innings was ended by a run-out to a lucky deflection at the bowler’s end.

Burton made 31 and Liphook were all out for 208 in the 48th over.

Hartley Wintney’s top order also failed – batsmen rattled by the pace of George Neave and Quincy Stephens – and they were 95-5 at one stage. But left-hander Beckwith, with a fast 50, including four sixes, and the lower order kept them in the game, as did a generous helping of extras, including no less than 35 wides.

However, Ryan Covey conceded only 16 runs in a mean 10-over spell and Hartley Wintney’s valiant push for victory faltered when the hard-hitting Beckwith was bowled by Burton.

Ben Earney and Dan Reynaldo kept plugging away, but Liphook were able to hang on and the visitors ended on 200-9 from their 50 overs.

• Liphook travel to the Isle of Wight this Saturday to play fifth-placed Ventnor.

And there follows a big game on Sunday when Liphook host Berkshire champions Cookham Dean in the first national round (last 32) of the Village Cup (start 1pm).