LEADERS Lymington underlined their Southern Premier League championship credentials by successfully chasing down Burridge’s 263 for seven – having lost half their wickets for 108.

They lost five wickets for 31 runs as they dropped from a blistering 71 without loss to 108 for five before Dom Hand and Ed Ellis hit half-centuries to steady the boat.

Skipper Simon Beetham stepped up to hit an unbeaten 41 to steer Lymington to a four-wicket win – their sixth in eight outings.

“Burridge put us under pressure – something we needed to see how the guys shaped up,” said Lymington team manager Neil Trestrail.

“A lot of character was needed after we lost that flurry of wickets, but the middle order stood up to a serious test and got us the win.”

Lymington’s run chase got off to an absolute flier with Malcolm Lake launching Nick McMurray’s first ball for six and then taking 19 of his first over.

They had 63 on the board in six overs – by which time McMurray had been blasted out of the attack and retired from the action with a dislocated finger and 35 runs against his name.

The parting of Lake (45) and Ben Rogers (36) at 71 triggered a collapse with Sully White (3-65) primarily responsible for subsequent wickets falling at 99, 100 and two at 108.

But Burridge saw their win prospects slip away as sixth-wicket pair Hand and Ellis (52) almost doubled the score with a stand of 102.

Hand, who finished with an unbeaten 55, was content to play the support role as Beetham cracked an unbeaten 41, including the match-winning six, to point Lymington to victory.

Earlier, Jamie Richards (40) and Joe Collings-Wells (46) repaired some early damage by Matt Metcalfe (5-66).

But from 132 for four, Burridge progressed to 263 for nine – Mark Campopiano (60) and Brighton Mugochi (60) sharing a century stand – before declaring seven balls from the end of their scheduled 64 overs.

Lymington took advantage of the extra time to chase down the target.