Kevin Latouf oozed class as he struck a superb unbeaten 122 to steer the Hampshire Academy to a five-wicket win over ECB Southern Electric Premier League rivals South Wilts at The Rose Bowl.

The 20-year old opener, who made an equally elegant 97 against Bashley last week, hit three sixes and 13 fours in an attractive, chanceless knock.

Latouf and second-wicket partner Chris Benham set up Academy's victory, punishing South Wilts' all too frequent short-pitched bowling with a succession of pulls and hooks.

The pair had the Young Hawks rattling along at ten runs an over at one stage, leaving South Wilts with little prospect of defending 239-8.

The visitors did manage to take five wickets, but the outcome was never in doubt with Latouf in such tip-top form.

South Wilts were able to post a relatively challenging total due to a cameo innings of 96 not out by Jo Cranch, who lifted the visitors from an uncertain 120-5.

The Salisbury side were unable to lay a solid base after losing openers Alex Senneck and Paul Draper before they had reached 25.

Debutant Tom Morton - 20-year- old son of Terry Morton, the former Waterlooville opener, who is studying at Solent University - cracked several fine shots in his 27 but, like James Hayward (24) and Chris Wood (22) after him, he perished just at the wrong time.

At 120-5, South Wilts could have gone under. Indeed, they probably would have had Essex YCs trialist Neil Bishop not shelled a straightforward chance off Cranch, who had scored only nine at the time.

But Cranch made the most of his let-off, blasting six sixes (mainly over long-on) and seven fours in a brutal 96 not out.

Army batsman Dan Webb (33) helped Cranch add 88 for the sixth wicket and take South Wilts on to their eventual 239-8.

The Young Hawks suffered an immediate setback when Eddie Abel was run out, but so erratically did South Wilts bowl after tea, his absence - to an unnecessary run-out - was barely missed.

Latouf and Benham hit boundaries at their pleasure as South Wilts bowled too short on a flat and true Nursery surface.

They raced to 100 in seemingly no time at all, Benham (56) surviving one massive appeal for a catch behind before trying to charge Hayward's first left-arm spinner and being bowled.

The Academy lost Simon Watkins and fledgling James Vince to the tidy Adie Holewell (2-27), but Latouf was simply unstoppable, cracking a succession of fine shots to the boundary.

His stand of 76 with Liam Dawson (33) guided the junior Hawks away from a slightly nervy 147-4 to the brink of victory.

Latouf was 122 not out at the end. It was a match winning knock of some note.