ALTON went into Saturday’s game still searching for the vital victory that would secure their Premier Division status. The long wait finally came to an end as they overcame a relaxed but dangerous St Cross side by three wickets at the Green Jackets Ground.

The Winchester side had no hesitation in batting on a hot day and with former Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams and free-scoring Wellington batsman Michael Pollard in the opposing ranks, the Brewers knew they would have to bowl well.

St Cross started positively and Tom Foyle and Adams moved the score quickly to 45 before the former was bowled by skipper Scott Myers.

A key moment followed as Adams, coming off the back of a hundred, tried to take the attack to Julian Ballinger. But the off-spinner got his man, Adams mistiming his shot and Michael Salmon making no mistake at mid-off.

Alton kept chipping away and a fine piece of fielding by Salmon led to Charlie Ayers being run out. There followed a sharp stumping by Abeed Janmohamed to remove Dan Young off Salmon and St Cross were 84-4.

Scott Myers had Matt Haworth caught in the gully by Michael Heffernan (114-5), but Mike Pollard was still at the crease and Alton knew his was the key wicket.

Jack Myers did the trick and had Pollard caught behind for 49 and 116-6 soon became 117-8 as the Myers brothers took further wickets.

With the game slipping away from the home side, skipper Richard Taylor joined Harry Foyle and the pair batted sensibly to put on 55 and frustrate the visitors. But Alton stayed patient and young Dan Scott got his reward for some good bowling when Taylor lost his off-stump.

Ballinger picked up his second wicket, and 43rd of the season, and St Cross were all out for 180, with Foyle left stranded on 36 not out and five overs still remaining.

Alton would doubtless have been happy with that total before the game, but the lower-order runs had certainly put them under pressure.

St Cross went on the attack in search of early wickets, but it was the Alton openers who set the agenda. Just when they needed it, the Brewers were given a blistering start by Alex Hammond and Rob Heywood and after little more than eight overs, the target was below 100.

Taylor introduced the leg-spin of Ayers and the change of pace had the desired result when Heywood was caught at slip for a quickfire 32 off 22 balls.

Alton looked set fair at 89-1 and Hammond continued to dispatch anything loose, reaching his 50 at better than a run-a-ball.

The 100 soon came up, but Alton’s nerve was to be tested as three wickets fell in quick succession. The visitors were suddenly teetering at 112-4 for 4. Jack Myers and Mark Heffernan tried to build a partnership, but when Myers was trapped leg before by Taylor, Alton, five down, still needed 53 for victory.

Scott Myers sent in the hard-hitting Ben Mortimer in an effort to knock St Cross off their stride and the gamble paid off. Mortimer hit 23 off 26 balls before also falling to Taylor and Alton were now 167-6, with Mark Heffernan set and the pressure easing.

Nerves began to jangle again when Janmohamed managed to pick out Young in the deep with nine still required, but Heffernan remained calm and struck the winning runs to finish 31 not out.

And so Alton will be in the top grade of club cricket for another season.