Burridge will feast at the top table of local recreational cricket next summer after wrestling the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 title from Sarisbury Athletic’s grasp, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

Their 73-run victory in the Botley Road championship decider gave Burridge the title by a mere two points – and a belated return ticket to the ECB Premier Division they left in 2002.

Going into the final match of the season, which both sides effectively needed to win to take the title, Burridge were in the runners-up position, 15 points adrift.

Sarisbury required another eight points to secure a second consecutive championship.

Burridge lost openers Shu Chowdhury and Richard Kenway leg before and, with their hosts at 32-2, Sarisbury arguably enjoyed the early initiative.

Cape Town all-rounder Geoff Dods (12) departed at 76-3, after which Burridge thrived.

A 13-boundary century by former Hampshire batsman Derek Kenway (102), right, made in a key 121-run partnership with Sam Lavery (50), took Burridge to 215-7 – ten runs short of a fifth batting bonus point.

The three bowling points Sarisbury collected left the defending champions requiring 175 runs to get sufficient points to retain the title.

But their opening pair Archie Norris (4) and Ricky Rawlins (19) were both back in the pavilion at 34-2.

The run out of Peter Hammond (10) followed at 47-3 – three runs before skipper Dave Banks holed out to leave Sarisbury with a lot of work to do.

It could have got a whole lot worse – Nick McMurray flooring a regulation catch at mid-off to let Matt Journeaux off the hook.

For a while it seemed as though the spill might prove very costly indeed, but Sarisbury were feeling the pressure and when the often reliable Michael Bond (18) heaved across the line and was bowled by Paul Ancell, the defending champions were facing a real problem at 89-5.

Journeaux held Sarisbury’s title aspirations in his hands.

He saw Joe Lovett (5) depart at 103-6, but added some precious runs with Mark Miller (11) as Sarisbury inched their way to 138 when Dods was recalled to the Burridge attack.

When the South African had Miller caught, the end was nigh for Sarisbury, who lost their last four wickets for four runs and were dismissed for 142.

Journeaux made a fine 47 before becoming a fourth victim for Ancell, who finished with 4-32.

The 73-run margin of victory gave Burridge the Division 1 championship by just two points !

Burridge skipper Rick Ankers, accepting his side were under increasing pressure when Sarisbury had a ‘reduced target’ of 175 to aim at, was confident his side would win.

“We could have got to 225 (maximum batting points) and really put them under pressure.

“I thought that when Nick (McMurray) had completed his first over, we had it under control and we would win.

“Sarisbury didn’t have the bottle for it and I never once thought when we were in the field that it was going out of our grasp.

“Even when they had that seventh-wicket partnership I wasn’t concerned; we just had to remain patient and bowl in the right areas.”

Ankers reckoned that winning the Division 1 championship was “his best day in cricket”.

“Let’s face it, we’ve had a terrific season. We reached the Electric t20 Cup final, have completed the treble over our local rivals and now won the league. “It doesn’t get much better than that,” he beamed.