RICKY Yates came within one run of his maiden century in any form of cricket as Rowledge maintained their grip on the second promotion place in the Southern Premier League Division Two with a clincal performance at Totton & Eling.

Rowledge were inserted on a green wicket that was always going to be tricky for their powerful top order.

Ricky Yates, back in the side at the top of the order and playing alongside cousin Chris Jnr, responded to the challenge in typical fashion, batting positively and punishing any width offered by the Totton bowlers.

Dan Collier trapped Chris Yates in front at 36 and David Lloyd started with a flurry of boundaries before hitting a short ball straight to Kegan Holzmann on the mid-wicket boundary.

Fraser Wilson, after surviving a strong appeal for lbw early on, helped Ricky Yates add 43 as Rowledge advanced to 130-3.

But with a 200-plus score looking a certainty, the game took a dramatic turn as Rowledge suffered a middle-order collapse, Billy Lightfoot and Terrence Wijesinghe taking four wickets for just nine runs and reducing the visitors to 140-7.

Yates continued to play his shots, frequently finding the boundary with expert placement. He had reached 99 off just 108 balls, having hit 12 fours and four towering sixes, but, needing one for a landmark hundred, he was caught behind off the lavishly named Gayan Wijesundara Mudalige.

Useful late contributions from Ollie Baker and George Keeley boosted the total to 185 all out from 48.5 overs. A very defendable total, but Rowledge knew they needed to make the most of a wicket offering assistance to the seamers.

And a good start is exactly what they got, Rowledge fielding and bowling with superb discipline and energy.

Richard Forbes bowled captain Sam Bracey in his first over and he and captain Jake Wish continued to beat the outside edge regularly as Totton laboured to 18-2 from 10 overs.

The spinners continued to apply the pressure, with Baker, Lloyd and Keeley maintaining an immaculate line and Totton lost wickets regularly in the struggle to keep the scoreboard ticking over. It looked all over at 63-8 after 27 overs.

Overseas player Gary Chirimuuta was the one batsman who stood in the way of victory. With considerable skill and selective stroke-play, he moved the score along to 96, but left-armer Keeley at last found a way through and bowled Chirimuuta for 44 (74 balls).

Lloyd swiftly took the last wicket to complete a comprehensive 89-run win for Rowledge after a professional display in the field.

Rowledge hold a 22-point lead over third-placed St Cross II and host the Winchester side this Saturday. Rowledge’s destiny is very much in their own hands going into the final two games of the season.