SPCL2 Week17 - OT & Romsey have one hand on title

Old Tauntonians & Romsey have one hand on the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 championship trophy after beating St Cross Symondians by 20 runs in their top of the table clash at Romsey.

The victory means OT's are within six points of the title, which they ought to wrap up at Gosport - who are still in deep relegation trouble - on Saturday.

OT's recovered from the shock of losing Charles Forward, their prolific left-hand opener, to Stuart Charman's first ball and went on to post 222-7.

Raj Niak (86), who scored eight boundaries and a plethora of one's and two's, shared a significant second-wicket partnership with Jodey Brown (49), and added useful runs with Max Smith (20) and Ian Tulk, who hit a quick-fire 18.

Will Mariner (4-36) bowled St Cross back into the frame - only for a top-order batting failure to cost the visitors dear.

The combination of Jeremy Ord (5-28 and wicketkeeper Keith Trodd, who snapped up four victims, had St Cross rocking at 23-3, and later 99-7.

But Marc Rees (48) and Stu Charman (51) almost turned the match on its head, adding 73 for the eighth wicket as OT's were forced on to the back foot.

But the return of Ord, who celebrated his first SPL five-wicket haul, reduced St Cross from a threatening 172-7 to 185 all out.

Sparsholt threw themselves a lifeline in the danger zone with a 30-run win at now-relegated Purbrook - but they still need to beat Burridge on Saturday to make sure of safety.

The win lifted Sparsholt above Gosport Borough and United Services, who were both beaten.

Sparsholt's positive 53-0 became an uncertain 62-3 after a miserly 3-19 new ball spell by Wayne Musselwhite.

Nick Boxall (50) did much to boost Sparsholt's prospects and received useful lower-order support from Jez Lawson, Ollie Kelly and Andy Lang (20 not out) before the visitors were dismissed for 192.

Lang, who finished with 4-33, made his mark with a couple of early blows - Purbrook slipping to 47-4 before Mike Hennessy (51 not out) gave the innings some substance.

But last year's Premier 3 champions continued to lose wickets regularly and were dismissed for 162, Lawson finishing with 3-45.

Lymngton's 54-run win at United Services - created by a superb individual performance by Glyn Treagus - certainly helped Sparsholt's cause.

Treagus, who hit 152 for Dorset against Wiltshire the previous weekend, hit 100 and took 3-32 for Lymington.

He shared a 151-run second-wicket stand with Danny Peacock (84) before Ben Craft's unbeaten 61 helped Lymington post a formidable 288-6.

Pete Andrew, playing his first match of the season after returning from Royal Navy duties in the Gulf, held US together with a battling 76, scored out of 114-6.

Only Paul Barsby (67) made much of a fight of it thereafter as US closed at 234-9.

Neil Cunningham hit an unbeaten 113 and enjoyed a 162-run second-wicket romp with Dave Jackson (70) as Burridge piled up 268-4 (Paul Friedrich 44) against Gosport Borough.

Only Andrew Watkins (69) and Stewart Magee (45) responded as Friedrich (3-36) and Andy Ford (3-66) kept Gosport to 217-8.

Easton & Martyr Worthy's top three ran amok at The Quarters, where Hursley Park finished 16 runs short chasing a formidable 266-9.

Shaun Green (70), Francis Gill (64) and Ashley Spencer (51) had 215-2 on the board before Hursley's bowlers started making any inroads.

Spinner Sandip Halder (3-60) did his bit before helping Adrian Aymes (84) put Hursley in a decent position at 171-3.

The Park needed 110 off the last 20 overs and appeared on course until Halder (51) was run out at 229-8.

Ross Cambray hit out before Hursley were dismissed for 250 with ten balls still remaining.