Old Tauntonians & Romsey are seven points clear of Portsmouth at the top of Southern Electric Premier Division 2 going into the last four games.
The pair won their round 14 matches, OTs chasing down Bashley II’s modest 164-7 to win by four wickets.
Portsmouth, meanwhile, enjoyed an easy 90-run win at Langley Manor, who look likely to go down.
Half-centuries by Neil Thurgood (58) and Andy Neal (50) enabled a Bashley to post 164-7, Stu Shapland returning 3-30 for the league leaders.
Bashley struck two early blows but a resolute 74 by Charlie King, aided by Will Edwards (44), got OTs home in some comfort.
Portsmouth Grammar School sports master Scott Curwood dominated the city club’s victory at Langley Manor, who are 34 points adrift of the nearest safety rung in SPL2.
Curwood hit 92 of Portsmouth’s 214 – Simon Peters taking 4-82 – and then took 3-17 as the Manor were dismissed for 151.
Third placed Fawley were mugged by Hambledon’s last wicket pair at Holbury – Rob Atkins and one-time Hampshire left-arm spinner Ian Turner turning the match on its head in the closing stages.
Fawley looked all set to win when they had Hambledon 132-9 in reply to their own total of 178-6, but Atkins (43)and Turner (23) put one 48 for the last wicket to win the match.
Wayne Royan produced another Herculean performance for Fawley, making 54 (his second consecutive half-century) and sharing an innings defining fifth-wicket stand with Paul Marks (67).
The left-arm spinner later took 4-25 and alongside Tom Gates (3-16) came within an ace of bowling Fawley to victory.
Hursley Park and Sparsholt are battling neck and neck to avoid the second from bottom relegation spot.
Langley Manor look doomed – they are 34 points adrift of safety – but there’s only two bonus points in it between the Winchester pair, who clash on August 15.
Zimbabwean left-hander Bothwell Chapungu cracked a boundary strewn 110 as Hursley Park raced to a four-wicket win at Paultons, who could still be sucked into the relegation scrap if they fail to halt their losing run.
Most of the Paultons batsmen made starts in a total of 204-9 – Scott Hills (41) top scored – but Chapungu’s no nonsense approach to batting carried Hursley to victory.
Sparsholt’s eight-wicket win over Tichborne Park at Locks Lane was even more comprehensive.
But, headed into the run-in, they are two points adrift of neighbours Hursley Park.
Jon Vokes (4-33), Mike Howarth (2-17) and Mike Doubell (2-22) did the damage as Tichborne were skittled for 102 (Martin Cheyney 32).
Stu Tognarelli (32) and Howarth (24) pointed Sparsholt to an easy but crucial victory.
The pair won their round 14 matches, OTs chasing down Bashley II’s modest 164-7 to win by four wickets.
Portsmouth, meanwhile, enjoyed an easy 90-run win at Langley Manor, who look likely to go down.
Half-centuries by Neil Thurgood (58) and Andy Neal (50) enabled a Bashley to post 164-7, Stu Shapland returning 3-30 for the league leaders.
Bashley struck two early blows but a resolute 74 by Charlie King, aided by Will Edwards (44), got OTs home in some comfort.
Portsmouth Grammar School sports master Scott Curwood dominated the city club’s victory at Langley Manor, who are 34 points adrift of the nearest safety rung in SPL2.
Curwood hit 92 of Portsmouth’s 214 – Simon Peters taking 4-82 – and then took 3-17 as the Manor were dismissed for 151.
Third placed Fawley were mugged by Hambledon’s last wicket pair at Holbury – Rob Atkins and one-time Hampshire left-arm spinner Ian Turner turning the match on its head in the closing stages.
Fawley looked all set to win when they had Hambledon 132-9 in reply to their own total of 178-6, but Atkins (43)and Turner (23) put one 48 for the last wicket to win the match.
Wayne Royan produced another Herculean performance for Fawley, making 54 (his second consecutive half-century) and sharing an innings defining fifth-wicket stand with Paul Marks (67).
The left-arm spinner later took 4-25 and alongside Tom Gates (3-16) came within an ace of bowling Fawley to victory.
Hursley Park and Sparsholt are battling neck and neck to avoid the second from bottom relegation spot.
Langley Manor look doomed – they are 34 points adrift of safety – but there’s only two bonus points in it between the Winchester pair, who clash on August 15.
Zimbabwean left-hander Bothwell Chapungu cracked a boundary strewn 110 as Hursley Park raced to a four-wicket win at Paultons, who could still be sucked into the relegation scrap if they fail to halt their losing run.
Most of the Paultons batsmen made starts in a total of 204-9 – Scott Hills (41) top scored – but Chapungu’s no nonsense approach to batting carried Hursley to victory.
Sparsholt’s eight-wicket win over Tichborne Park at Locks Lane was even more comprehensive.
But, headed into the run-in, they are two points adrift of neighbours Hursley Park.
Jon Vokes (4-33), Mike Howarth (2-17) and Mike Doubell (2-22) did the damage as Tichborne were skittled for 102 (Martin Cheyney 32).
Stu Tognarelli (32) and Howarth (24) pointed Sparsholt to an easy but crucial victory.