LIPHOOK & Ripsley had a weekend of cricket they won’t forget in a hurry, Sunday’s Village Cup triumph having been preceded the day before by a dramatic tie in the Southern Premier League Division One home match against second-placed Sarisbury.

Rob Nicklin’s outstanding 111 proved not quite enough to secure victory in a high-scoring game at Ripsley Park, where the pitch was the real winner.

Both sides finished on 276-8 from their 50 overs, with Sarisbury’s Phil Jewell almost winning the game by hitting eight runs off the last three balls.

Sarisbury skipper Ricky Rawlins had decided to field and Harry Munt and Nicklin first had to rescue Liphook from a disastrous start – Ryan Covey and Gabe Broadhurst back in the pavilion with five runs on the board. The pair did just that with a superb partnership of 113 before the reliable Munt was caught for 58 off 53 balls.

Nicklin found another partner in Jonathan Pryce (39), making his first appearance of the season. They added 96 and with 300 looking on the cards, Nicklin was finally caught by Rawlings. Quincy Stephens contributed a late cameo and Sarisbury were set what looked a distant target.

But the visitors were not second in the table for nothing and after early damage inflicted by George Neave and Charles Janczur (34-3), embarked on a determined run-chase.

Coming together at 80-4, Tom Nightingale (83) and the returning Matt Journeaux (44) accelerated the total to 176. They fell to Dave Elliott and Nicklin in quick succession, but Chris Sanders and Tom Kitcher added a further 67 and Sarisbury were closing in on victory.

Covey, playing against his former club, bowled Kitcher in the 47th over (255-8), but Sanders kept his side in the hunt and Jewell’s final flourish almost pulled it off for Sarisbury.

So the game was tied and 15 points moves Liphook up to fourth just after the halfway point of the season.