Unbeaten Lymington and Portsmouth on collision course

Lymington and Portsmouth, whose clash in Southsea next Saturday could go a long way to deciding the outcome of the Souhern Electric Premier Division 2 championship, won key games.

Lymington beat Trojans by 60 runs, with Portsmouth easing home 48-run winners over Old Tauntonians & Romsey.

Cove's unbeaten start was checked by Hambledon's five-wicket victory at Grasmere Road.

Opening pair Glyn Treagus (60) and Brian Clemow (36) provided a fine 83-run start for Lymington, who saw Ben Craft (42) and Ian Young (35) ease the total towards the 200-mark.

Trojans began well with Mario Mohammed (43) prominent in a 63-run opening stand, but the middle-order faltered before Jamie Donaldson's 37 took their eventual reply on to 164.

Portsmouth sank from 100-1 to 133-7 after Stephen Cook (73) and Lee Savident (31) had eased Raj Maru's side firmly in the driving seat at Romsey.

Paul Dew (31), Maru (22) and Pete Hayward (18) recovered the situation to 198-8 after Max Smith, Mike Trodd and Jeremy Ord had broken through.

But OTs batting failed to gell, with Charles Forward (33) top scoring and five other batsmen failing to progress after getting into the teens.

Hayward's spell of 5-37 sent Romsey tumbling to 150 all out and a 48-run defeat. Sparsholt's unbeaten start remained intact after a run glut against United Services at Locks Lane.

Sparsholt piled up 266-9 - Ian Stuart (47), Carl Nichols (43) and Rob Savage (25) top scoring - but then had to keep a watchful eye open as US hit back with 247-7, Gary Hounsome hitting an unbeaten 101.

Old Basing plunged to a fourth successive defeat, with only Del Summers (43 not out) in double figures against Easton & Martyr Worthy, who enjoyed a nine-wicket win.

Mark Stone (4-17) and two wickets each by Trevor Yeates, Steve Green and Andy Birch sent Old Basing tumbling to 82 all out - a total Dave Birch (37) and Ian Butcher (31) cruised past.