BATTLING Bournemouth boosted their fading Premier Division survival hopes with a 20-run victory over Totton & Eling.

Chasing the Lions’ total of 226, the visitors reached 153 for two but never looked like managing the required run-rate before closing on 206 for eight.

That handed struggling Bournemouth a morale-boosting second success of a difficult campaign.

The hosts chose to bat but their innings got off to a patchy start when skipper Martin Miller (pictured below) went for nine before a mix-up between Ben Rogers and Alex Keath (23) resulted in Bournemouth’s Aussie sensation being run out.

However, Rogers rallied to score 85 off just 63 deliveries, including 12 boundaries, while Alex Allum (40) and Jake Hurley (20) posted solid scores from the middle order before being dismissed by Harry Henley-Smith (3-55).

Totton’s James Haggaty (4-34) then ripped through the lower order to prevent further damage.

But Darron Augustus lost his wicket to Keath at the start of the Totton reply.

Haggaty (58) put on 126 runs for the second wicket alongside William Bosisto (86), but tight bowling from Matt Mixer (0-20), who bowled four maidens in his 10 overs, kept the visitors at arm’s length before Dom Hand (3-62) took the wickets of both.

And once David Taylor (21) had been dismissed, Bournemouth took control to leave Miller celebrating a much-needed victory.

The Lions skipper told the Daily Echo: “We are overjoyed.

“This has been coming for a few weeks now and while we had our rocky moments, we did the basics better than they did and won by playing positive cricket.”

Meanwhile, in Division One, New Milton lost at home to Fawley.

The visitors posted 182 for eight and despite a knock of 43 from Milton captain Ryan Beck, the Fernhill outfit fell short as they were dismissed for 173.