Rob Newman key four-wicket spell Leaders Liphook & Ripsley enjoy an eight-point lead over Hartley Wintney at the Southern Premier Division 2 summit going into the last three matches and, significantly, are 11 clear of third placed Ventnor in the two-up promotion race.
That effectively means Old Tauntonians & Romsey will have to win their last three matches if they are to claim one of the places on the elevator.
The top three all had their round 15 matches cancelled – Liphook against Fair Oak and, importantly, Ventnor’s long haul visit to Hartley Wintney, the outcome of which could have had serious repercussions on the losers.
Ahead of Saturday’s home match with Waterlooville at the Romsey Sports Centre (12.30), OTs are nine points adrift of Hartley Wintney in second place. Their last two games are at Hartley and against rock bottom Paultons.
OTs won a rain affected affair by seven wickets against Bashley (Rydal), having to chase down a comfortable 89 in 24 overs after the visitors’ 124-7 had been trimmed.
Bashley’s batsmen found it hard going, particularly against spin pair Rob Newman (4-17) and left-armer Matt Bampton (1-15), who conceded a combined 32 runs off their 16 overs.
Struggling at 74-6 (Saif Achakzai 20), Bashley’s innings needed some late impetus from George Wilson (27 not out).
Two early strikes by Sean Read (2-38) either side of a wicket for teenager Sam Crisp had OTs rocking at 10-3, but Bothwell Chapnugu hit an unbeaten 48 and Harry Tulk (20) to get them home without further loss.
With time running out, the situation is looking increasingly bleak for Paultons and Fawley at the bottom end of the table, the pair being 26 and 18 points, respectively, behind the nearest safety rung.
Paultons came out on top by 53 runs when the duo met at Whitemoor Lane, where Nathan Feltham (41) and Cam Grierson (38) top scored in the hosts 150. Sufian Munir took 4-22, but Tony Richman blasted out Fawley’s top order with a 5-25 return (which merited this website’s Cricketer of the Week award) leaving Callum Earl (54) to prop up a sorry 97-9 response by the Holbury visitors.
That effectively means Old Tauntonians & Romsey will have to win their last three matches if they are to claim one of the places on the elevator.
The top three all had their round 15 matches cancelled – Liphook against Fair Oak and, importantly, Ventnor’s long haul visit to Hartley Wintney, the outcome of which could have had serious repercussions on the losers.
Ahead of Saturday’s home match with Waterlooville at the Romsey Sports Centre (12.30), OTs are nine points adrift of Hartley Wintney in second place. Their last two games are at Hartley and against rock bottom Paultons.
OTs won a rain affected affair by seven wickets against Bashley (Rydal), having to chase down a comfortable 89 in 24 overs after the visitors’ 124-7 had been trimmed.
Bashley’s batsmen found it hard going, particularly against spin pair Rob Newman (4-17) and left-armer Matt Bampton (1-15), who conceded a combined 32 runs off their 16 overs.
Struggling at 74-6 (Saif Achakzai 20), Bashley’s innings needed some late impetus from George Wilson (27 not out).
Two early strikes by Sean Read (2-38) either side of a wicket for teenager Sam Crisp had OTs rocking at 10-3, but Bothwell Chapnugu hit an unbeaten 48 and Harry Tulk (20) to get them home without further loss.
With time running out, the situation is looking increasingly bleak for Paultons and Fawley at the bottom end of the table, the pair being 26 and 18 points, respectively, behind the nearest safety rung.
Paultons came out on top by 53 runs when the duo met at Whitemoor Lane, where Nathan Feltham (41) and Cam Grierson (38) top scored in the hosts 150. Sufian Munir took 4-22, but Tony Richman blasted out Fawley’s top order with a 5-25 return (which merited this website’s Cricketer of the Week award) leaving Callum Earl (54) to prop up a sorry 97-9 response by the Holbury visitors.
