SOUTH Wilts rose to the dizzy heights of second in the table after they recorded their third win on the trot.

The Salisbury side's emphatic victory at Andover, combined with defeat for Bournemouth and a draw for Havant, helped consolidate their claims as being one of the teams most likely to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season when the honours are handed out.

Captain Rob Wade, however, played down any suggestions his side were championship contenders. "We'll get a good idea of whether we've got a chance at the half-way stage when we've played every one once."

His Andover counterpart Roger Miller, won the toss and asked South Wilts to bat and the visitors were immediately in some discomfort as Paul Draper fell to a ball from Mark Miller which went through the top surface.

Jason Laney went to a ball that shot along the floor and Russell Rowe quite literally fell after being hit by a wayward throw.

With the ball not coming onto the bat, it was clear that South Wilts would require all the permitted overs to grind out a score.

Wade added: "The middle order dug in and it is great testament to their powers of concentration that a decent score was achieved."

The skipper hit 22 off 78 balls, while Russell Rowe returned to make 28, before both were undone by balls that kept low.

But it was the fifth wicket partnership between Tom Caines, 40 off 105 balls, and Jamie Glasson, 40 off 75 balls, which proved decisive. They took the score from the precarious 80-4 to 138-5 allowing the lower order to chip away to reach 184-8.

Wade added: "That would not usually be enough, but we knew this was no ordinary surface and such a total would require similar powers of concentration by the Andover batsmen and some poor bowling from South Wilts."

All looked rosy for the hosts as Mark Miller, 25, took his chance against the new ball and rapidly fired them to 41-0. However, the game turned when ex-Andover player Adie Holewell and Draper came into the bowling attack.

With superb line and length, the duo quickly had the Andover batsmen in knots. The desire to attack the ball was always tempered by the fear that it may misbehave and the home side's runs dried up completely.

Holewell dismissed both Millers and returned the miserly figures of 2-29 off his 15 overs.

In the meantime, man of the match Draper was creating havoc with the uneven bounce. His 15 overs leaked just 18 runs and he picked up four wickets including that of former-Middlesex player Toby Radford and the dangerous Jerry Hayward.

From 98-5, Andover folded to 100 all out with Adam Smith demolishing the lower order with 4-4. The victory was completed by a fantastic one-handed diving catch at cover by Jamie Glasson.

On Saturday, South Wilts entertain lowly Liphook & Ripsley at Lower Bemerton, starting at 11.30am.