Old Tauntonians & Romsey have snatched a surprise ten-point lead in the Southern Electric Premier Division 2 championship race – courtesy of Fawley’s dramatic one-wicket win on Southsea seafront.
They leapfrogged the overnight city leaders as the ‘Rob Newman Show’ inspired OTs to a seven-wicket win at Hambledon and Fawley pulled off one of the surprises of the season against Portsmouth.
While Newman was taking 5-27 and hitting 72 at Ridge Meadow, Wayne Royan, with key support from Wayne Smith, was Fawley’s rather unexpected match winner – with the bat, making a career-best 89 not out by the seaside.
Fawley’s win was all the more remarkable considering they were 106-9 chasing down Portsmouth’s 174 all out.
But Royan’s innings changed the face of the game – his unbroken last wicket stand of 69 with spin twin Wayne Smith giving the Oilmen victory with three balls to spare.
The pair were initially prominent with the ball – Wayne returning a mean 2-17 off ten overs of left-arm spin and Smith 2-34. Between them they took out four of Portsmouth’s top six.
As the America’s Cup yachts sped by the St Helen’s ground, Jack Marston (73) weathered the spin storm and, in a key seventh-wicket stand with Vickram Dawson (40), lifted Portsmouth from 80-6 to 152-7. They closed at 174 all out.
Portsmouth’s bowling resources are arguably stronger than their run making prowess and when Fawley began to lose wickets all too regularly, another home win seemed the probable outcome.
Royan strode to the crease with Fawley were 43-5 and was still there when Smith arrived to join him with the visitors rocking at 106-9.
Run by run they chipped away at the Portsmouth total – Royan launching two big sixes along with ten fours across the boundary and Smith playing the perfect foil at the other end.
Royan, who began his club career as a left-arm pace bowler at Pylewell Park, went on to make a best ever 89 not out and Smith an unbeaten 16 as Fawley inched a quite remarkable one-wicket win with three balls left.
Portsmouth were left with six bonus points from their endeavours, while the 21 OTs picked up at Hambledon put Romsey on top of the log.
Portsmouth captain Dave Henderson is adamant his side won't blow promotion after slipping to the one-wicket defeat against Fawley.
The third defeat of the season means the city club have been toppled off the top of Division Two after occupying pole position for most of the summer.
Henderson insists however that there is no need for concern heading into the final month of the campaign. He felt everything conspired against his team in a contest they could and maybe should have won.
“It was just one of those days when things don't go for you,' said Henderson.
“We had our fifth bowler drop out the night before, we were put into bat on a wet wicket and a number of decisions didn't go our way.
“This season we have come out on top in five or six tight games but this one went against us.
“Fawley never looked like they were on top but we suffered with the lack of a fifth bowler.
“After we got nine Fawley wickets down we had four or five strong appeals which we were a bit surprised didn't go our way.”
Exeter University student Rob Newman PICTURED stole the show at the cradle of cricket, with his five-wicket haul preceding a match clinching performance with the bat.
Former Totton & Eling opener George Marshall (70) scored almost half of Hambledon’s runs and was the second of five victims for Newman, who finished with 5-27.
Newman didn’t have long to wait before he got a bat – Gus Flack perishing early on and Hampshire’s Chris Wood for 20 at 42-2.
But Newman (72) and Charlie King, with an unbeaten 47, produced a century stand which guided OTs to a seven-wicket win – and top place in Premier Division 2.
They leapfrogged the overnight city leaders as the ‘Rob Newman Show’ inspired OTs to a seven-wicket win at Hambledon and Fawley pulled off one of the surprises of the season against Portsmouth.
While Newman was taking 5-27 and hitting 72 at Ridge Meadow, Wayne Royan, with key support from Wayne Smith, was Fawley’s rather unexpected match winner – with the bat, making a career-best 89 not out by the seaside.
Fawley’s win was all the more remarkable considering they were 106-9 chasing down Portsmouth’s 174 all out.
But Royan’s innings changed the face of the game – his unbroken last wicket stand of 69 with spin twin Wayne Smith giving the Oilmen victory with three balls to spare.
The pair were initially prominent with the ball – Wayne returning a mean 2-17 off ten overs of left-arm spin and Smith 2-34. Between them they took out four of Portsmouth’s top six.
As the America’s Cup yachts sped by the St Helen’s ground, Jack Marston (73) weathered the spin storm and, in a key seventh-wicket stand with Vickram Dawson (40), lifted Portsmouth from 80-6 to 152-7. They closed at 174 all out.
Portsmouth’s bowling resources are arguably stronger than their run making prowess and when Fawley began to lose wickets all too regularly, another home win seemed the probable outcome.
Royan strode to the crease with Fawley were 43-5 and was still there when Smith arrived to join him with the visitors rocking at 106-9.
Run by run they chipped away at the Portsmouth total – Royan launching two big sixes along with ten fours across the boundary and Smith playing the perfect foil at the other end.
Royan, who began his club career as a left-arm pace bowler at Pylewell Park, went on to make a best ever 89 not out and Smith an unbeaten 16 as Fawley inched a quite remarkable one-wicket win with three balls left.
Portsmouth were left with six bonus points from their endeavours, while the 21 OTs picked up at Hambledon put Romsey on top of the log.
Portsmouth captain Dave Henderson is adamant his side won't blow promotion after slipping to the one-wicket defeat against Fawley.
The third defeat of the season means the city club have been toppled off the top of Division Two after occupying pole position for most of the summer.
Henderson insists however that there is no need for concern heading into the final month of the campaign. He felt everything conspired against his team in a contest they could and maybe should have won.
“It was just one of those days when things don't go for you,' said Henderson.
“We had our fifth bowler drop out the night before, we were put into bat on a wet wicket and a number of decisions didn't go our way.
“This season we have come out on top in five or six tight games but this one went against us.
“Fawley never looked like they were on top but we suffered with the lack of a fifth bowler.
“After we got nine Fawley wickets down we had four or five strong appeals which we were a bit surprised didn't go our way.”
Exeter University student Rob Newman PICTURED stole the show at the cradle of cricket, with his five-wicket haul preceding a match clinching performance with the bat.
Former Totton & Eling opener George Marshall (70) scored almost half of Hambledon’s runs and was the second of five victims for Newman, who finished with 5-27.
Newman didn’t have long to wait before he got a bat – Gus Flack perishing early on and Hampshire’s Chris Wood for 20 at 42-2.
But Newman (72) and Charlie King, with an unbeaten 47, produced a century stand which guided OTs to a seven-wicket win – and top place in Premier Division 2.