Skipper Rob Newman (pictured) led from the front, but it needed young Joe Vaughan’s cool head to get Old Tauntonians & Romsey across the line in a key British Gas Southern League Division 2 promotion affair at the Romsey Sports Centre.
OTs were always favourites after bowling fourth-placed Hartley Wintney out for a modest 127, but in a relatively low scoring affair, there was still work to be done when Newman perished at 100-5.
Teenager Vaughan held his nerve with a tidy 21 not out to see OTs home.
The four-wicket win keeps OTs within sight of Totton & Eling at the top of SPL2, albeit 20 points behind.
Totton inflicted a crushing nine-wicket defeat on Hambledon, who are perilously 30 points adrift at the bottom.
Hartley Wintney fell apart from 98-3 and once New Zealander Henry Collier (45), skipper Danny Plume (20) and Jamie Teale (19) were back in the pavilion.
Jody Brown (2-13) claimed the all important wicket of Collier, after which spin pair Rob Newman (4-13) and sibling brother Pete (2-14) ran amok.
From 98-3, Hartley plunged to 106-9, with last pair Dan Reynaldo and Mark Teale adding 21 to raise the all out total to 127.
OTs slipped to 29-2, but were steadied by Nick Destefano (27) and Rob Newman (36), who set about pushing the Romsey hosts towards victory.
Mark Teale and Collier took two wickets to reduce Romsey to 111-6, but Vaughan, fresh out of his GCSE examinations, steered OTs home with an unflustered 21 not out.
Leaders Totton & Eling were home and dry with ten overs to spare against Hambledon, who look to be on course for relegation after a seventh defeat in eight games.
Skipper Will Bond (76) did his best to keep Hambledon afloat at Ridge Meadow and was fifth out at 169.
He shared a 74-run start with George Marshall (24), after which it was largely downhill for the Dons, whose Australian import Sigqhat Khan has contributed only 79 runs in eight games, 47 of which came in one knock against South Wilts.
Hambledon had little hope of defending a modest 205-8 once Dan Clouting (54) and James Taylor produced a 129-run opening stand for Totton.
Taylor went on to make an unbeaten 73 and saw the Eels to a nine-wicket win as skipper Mark Mbofana (50) hit 50 not out.
Sparsholt’s promotion prospects took a knock with a four wicket defeat by Paultons at Whitemoor Lane, where they were bowled out for 110.
Remarkably, opener Mike Haworth (46) batted the entire 33.2 over length of the Sparsholt innings, which was ripped to shreds by Peter Lamb (4-32) and James Bills (3-28).
Five Sparsholt batsmen bagged ducks, but Paultons had to fight for their runs and were 62-5 before the steadying influence of Rob O’Brien (30) got them home.
Evergreen Nigel le Bas hit a 13-four 83 to glue the Trojans innings as little Langley Manor left-arm spinner Tommy Spencer (3-21) and Jack Budd (4-41) created inroads.
Le Bas took Trojans to 162-7 before Jamie Donaldson bludgeoned a lively 59 (two sixes and seven fours) to get the Stoneham hosts to 210-8.
Saulieg Rayned’s 87 carried the fight to Trojans, but apart from Jack Budd (32) and later Nic Wheeler (26), the South African lacked any meaningful support as the Manor fell to 198 all out and a disappointing 12-run defeat.
OTs were always favourites after bowling fourth-placed Hartley Wintney out for a modest 127, but in a relatively low scoring affair, there was still work to be done when Newman perished at 100-5.
Teenager Vaughan held his nerve with a tidy 21 not out to see OTs home.
The four-wicket win keeps OTs within sight of Totton & Eling at the top of SPL2, albeit 20 points behind.
Totton inflicted a crushing nine-wicket defeat on Hambledon, who are perilously 30 points adrift at the bottom.
Hartley Wintney fell apart from 98-3 and once New Zealander Henry Collier (45), skipper Danny Plume (20) and Jamie Teale (19) were back in the pavilion.
Jody Brown (2-13) claimed the all important wicket of Collier, after which spin pair Rob Newman (4-13) and sibling brother Pete (2-14) ran amok.
From 98-3, Hartley plunged to 106-9, with last pair Dan Reynaldo and Mark Teale adding 21 to raise the all out total to 127.
OTs slipped to 29-2, but were steadied by Nick Destefano (27) and Rob Newman (36), who set about pushing the Romsey hosts towards victory.
Mark Teale and Collier took two wickets to reduce Romsey to 111-6, but Vaughan, fresh out of his GCSE examinations, steered OTs home with an unflustered 21 not out.
Leaders Totton & Eling were home and dry with ten overs to spare against Hambledon, who look to be on course for relegation after a seventh defeat in eight games.
Skipper Will Bond (76) did his best to keep Hambledon afloat at Ridge Meadow and was fifth out at 169.
He shared a 74-run start with George Marshall (24), after which it was largely downhill for the Dons, whose Australian import Sigqhat Khan has contributed only 79 runs in eight games, 47 of which came in one knock against South Wilts.
Hambledon had little hope of defending a modest 205-8 once Dan Clouting (54) and James Taylor produced a 129-run opening stand for Totton.
Taylor went on to make an unbeaten 73 and saw the Eels to a nine-wicket win as skipper Mark Mbofana (50) hit 50 not out.
Sparsholt’s promotion prospects took a knock with a four wicket defeat by Paultons at Whitemoor Lane, where they were bowled out for 110.
Remarkably, opener Mike Haworth (46) batted the entire 33.2 over length of the Sparsholt innings, which was ripped to shreds by Peter Lamb (4-32) and James Bills (3-28).
Five Sparsholt batsmen bagged ducks, but Paultons had to fight for their runs and were 62-5 before the steadying influence of Rob O’Brien (30) got them home.
Evergreen Nigel le Bas hit a 13-four 83 to glue the Trojans innings as little Langley Manor left-arm spinner Tommy Spencer (3-21) and Jack Budd (4-41) created inroads.
Le Bas took Trojans to 162-7 before Jamie Donaldson bludgeoned a lively 59 (two sixes and seven fours) to get the Stoneham hosts to 210-8.
Saulieg Rayned’s 87 carried the fight to Trojans, but apart from Jack Budd (32) and later Nic Wheeler (26), the South African lacked any meaningful support as the Manor fell to 198 all out and a disappointing 12-run defeat.
