Ots and Romsey 5ths made the short journey to play Whiteparish 2nds on Saturday.  

On a warm afternoon the home side won the toss and batted first on a wicket with plenty of cracks in it. They were soon in trouble losing 3 quick wickets to Pat Menage(4-42) before the parish middle order dug in, frustrating Romsey and took the score to 82-4 before James Trodd(2-20) struck twice in his last over to put Romsey back on top. The Whiteparish tail wagged a bit but the ever dependable J Humphries took 3 of the last 4 wickets to finish with 4-16 off 7 overs aided by good catches from Sam Trodd and Whiteparish were all out for 130 in the 36th over.  

After tea Ots and Romsey set about their run chase but lost skipper Thebe in the second over. Then Hayes and Booth gradually got on top of the bowlers and put on 63 in quick time before Booth was caught behind for 26. A Roberts soon followed when he was caught, but Hayes stood firm at one end and was scoring freely passing fifty again this season. He was  supported by a more sedate Service(16*) but Romsey reached their target with 3 overs to spare when Hayes fittingly hit the winning four leaving him unbeaten on a splendid 79 and giving Ots and Romsey victory by 7 wickets.

OTs & Romsey's second team made hard work of this trip to bottom of the table Hayling Island, winning the game by just one wicket.

On an overcast day Romsey lost the toss and had to bowl first. Usually unaffected by this, Romsey didn’t start very well with the two usual good opening bowlers bowling all over the place; after the first six overs Hayling Island were 63 for 0. The captain had to chance things up, and on came the spin attack with Matt Bampton (2-36) taking a wicket with his first ball.  However, he should have had another wicket in the same over as the Hayling Captain apparently edged the ball to the keeper - the umpire didn’t budge!  Experienced spinner Max Smith (2-20) frustrated the Hayling batsman - they didn’t know how to deal with him. The Hayling Island batsmen hung in there and it wasn’t until Welch produced a good run out that Romsey started to control the game. Once five wickets had been taken, the Hayling Batsman didn’t offer much with the two opening bowlers Joe Welch (1-48), Steve Kay (3-40) coming back into the attack.  Welch finally dismissing the controversial Hayling Captain.  Dan Collins (1-9) came into the attack and Romsey restricted Hayling to 197.

In the second innings Romsey didn’t get off the best of starts when Elliott Mitchell-Lee(4)  was caught out early on. However, fellow opener Max Smith (40) continued his good form by keeping Romsey above the run rate. With Romsey going well things quickly changed when Smith was caught and Nic Destfanao following quickly following suit.  Hayling were back into the game. Although Romsey's new Batsmen were keeping above the run rate, nobody really "got in".  With Romsey's Batsmen falling left, right and centre Captain - Mike Trodd (36*) - had to play a very patient innings. However, batsmen continued to fall cheaply, and it wasn’t in until Phil Wyatt (6*) came to the crease that Trodd finally found some stability at the other end. With 10 overs to go Romsey only required 10 runs to win.  On the other hand it would only take one ball for Hayling to take the win. Captain Mike Trodd showed his resilience; when Romsey needed four to win he smashed it over extra cover to record a great win for the promotion chasers.  

OTs & Romsey IV got back to winning ways in HCL Regional Division 2 North with a comfortable victory away to Twyford.

Stand-in Romsey skipper Martin Weeks won the toss and decided to bat first. Opening batsmen Jack Salter and Tom George got the visitors off to a flying start and even after Salter was caught out, George continued firing, reaching his maiden half-century.

He was eventually out for 56 but Stuart Wood maintained Romsey’s good start with some powerful hitting of his own once he had played himself in.

A quick-fire 26 from Jamie Beard alongside a superb unbeaten knock of 79* guided the away side to 258-8 from their 42 overs.

With Twyford chasing a big total for victory, their opening partnership looked to get off to a quick start. They began well, hitting 80 before the partnership was broken by Cam Melling, removing Nick Moreland for 41. 

Rhys Mitchell-Lee then picked up a couple of wickets as the Twyford innings began to fall apart.

Once Weeks came on to bowl, the hosts stood no chance of victory, with the captain for the day picking up the final six wickets of the match in devastating bowling spell which secured victory and full points for Romsey.

Twyford (174 all out) lost to OTs & Romsey IV (258-8) by 85 runs

Last weekend saw mixed results for OTs & Romsey first team as they picked up their sixth league win of the season to go into second place but were knocked out of the SEPCL Twenty20 Cup.

First up on Saturday at the Romsey Sports Centre where Sparsholt, who OTs had defeated earlier in the season in the Twenty20 Cup.

The visitors won the toss and chose to field first, giving Romsey the chance to post a big total.

The hosts took that chance, with opening batsman Jody Brown hitting 42 before being out LBW. There were also usual contributions from Chris Wood and Rob Newman who hit 22 and 32 respectively. However, it was to be Will Edwards who top-scored for Romsey making it back-to-back half-centuries as he hit 55. Youngster Harry Tulk also added a timely 37 to guide Romsey to 259-7 from their 50 overs.

It was then Sparsholt’s attempt to chase down the target of 260 and they got off to a good start with opener Michael Howorth hitting 53 but after he was removed by Wood, victory seemed unlikely for the visitors. Wood picked up a further two wickets and there were two each for Brown and Pete Newman as OTs restricted their visitors to 228 from their 50 overs to secure a 31 run win.

The day after, Romsey knew they were in for a sterner test as they hosted SEPCL Premier Division side Hampshire Academy in the Twenty20 Cup. The Academy side fielded three players who had featured for the county’s first team.

The hosts managed to win the toss this time, giving them the chance to put their prestigious visitors into bat.

The Academy got off to a quick start, with England U19 wicketkeeper Tom Alsop hitting 27 off just 15 balls before being bowled by Stu Shapland.

Despite losing wickets regularly, Hampshire continued to put runs on the board, this was despite the presence of Hampshire first team bowler Chris Wood in the Romsey attack. Ben Duggan top scored with 41 off 37 balls and Ben Caldera hit 29 as the runs continued to flow. There was also useful 14* from Mason Crane off just four balls as the Academy finished with 175 from their 20 overs. Shapland and Rob Newman each picked up a couple of wickets.

Romsey then came into bat but their hopes of an unlikely victory were seemingly scuppered early on as they lost Wood for just 6 to the bowling of Ryan Murray.

Pete Newman top scored with 22 off just 14 balls but when off-spinner Brad Taylor came on to bowl, Hampshire first XI’s youngster ever player, any feint hopes of success were quashed as he conceded just six runs from his three overs.

Eventually, the hosts were all out for 90 with more than five overs to spare but could be proud of their efforts against a talented Hampshire Academy side.

OTs and Romsey 5ths entertained Farley 2nds at Hunts Farm on Saturday. Romsey’s 10 men batted first hoping to make good first use of the wicket.  

Opener B Hayes was joined by usual 2nd team player Rich Lake who dropped down to the 5ths at the last minute. After a steady start the pair soon got going finding the boundary with regularity putting on 71 before Hayes was caught for 27. Lake meanwhile was still scoring freely at one end and the score passed 100 before Roberts [which one? - ed] was bizzarely run out for 8. R Holden  joined Lake and these two put on 75 when Holden was out for a useful 26. By now Lake had already passed 100 and from then on was just hitting boundarys for fun and an unbroken century partnership with D Service(17*) saw the score to 283-3 after 42 overs.

Lake finished up 195* and the weary Farley fielders happy to come off for the tea break.  

In reply Farley had the worst start losing a wicket in the first over to J Trodd(1-30). The visitors did string a few partnerships together though and made Romsey work for their wickets; Thompson passing fifty and Stagg with 45. Romsey’s total of 283 was always going to be a tough chase though and in the end Farley fell 86 short on 197-9. J Humphries again bowled well with 4-34, Service(2-39) and Hayes(1-32) were also among the wickets and the fielders held on to some good catches. 

This coming Saturday OTs and Romsey Vs visit Whiteparish 2s.

OTs and Romsey V travelled south of Andover to take on a fiery Upper Clatford on Saturday.

Stand-in skipper I Wathen lost an important toss and Romsey were inserted to bat on a wicket which looked as though it would be lively and offer a lot to the bowlers.

This proved to be the case as throughout the innings Romsey could never really get on top of the Clatford bowlers who exploited the conditions effectively. A few of the batsman got starts but could not carry on to get a big score, and wickets fell too regularly. Romsey were bowled out for a disappointing 95 in the 39th over, D Service made 21, and B Hayes 11, A Roberts 13 and J Trodd 12 also made double figures.

After tea, Upper Clatford began their reply nervously against opening bowers Perrin (2-18) and Humphries (1-29) and were 33-3 looking shaky. However, the Clatford middle order cashed in on anything loose on a now more sedate wicket and although Romsey took 2 more wickets, their opponents got to the 96 required with 19 overs to spare. J Trodd and R Wathen also took a wicket each for OTs and Romsey who battled hard in the field but it was always going to be difficult defending such a low score against a side who remain unbeaten.

OTs & Romsey IV good run of form came to a sudden end last Saturday as they suffered a heavy defeat against second place Stockbridge.

Romsey won the toss and got off to a good start with opening batsmen Tom George and Jack Salter sharing a 65 run partnership. However, when the opening stand was broken, Romsey failed to sustain their run rate and lost wickets regularly. There was some resistance from Sam Costley who hit 28 but he could only guide his side to 142 all out.

Stockbridge then came into bat and attacked from the start and despite losing four wickets, including one to Jamie Beard and another to Max Costley, never seemed in danger of losing the game and secured a comfortable six wicket win.

On what has been a good start to the season for OTs & Romsey second team they knew they had a tough test facing County Division One seconded placed team Shrewton CC.

OTs & Romsey won the toss and selected to bat first. Shane Vidler (11) and Young prospect Elliott Mitchel Lee (20) got Romsey off to a good start with some nice shots being played but the Shrewton’s quick openers soon used the pace to their advantage bouncing out both opening batsmen.  This started a bit of a collapse with Dowling & Destefano going cheaply. But all was back to normal when captain Mike Trodd (63*) and Harry Draycott (48) started attacking the Shrewton bowlers.  With Romsey 138 for 4 Draycott was only a couple of runs short of getting his half century but he was dismissed after being bowled having left a straight ball. Trodd help Romsey get to a defendable total but the usual good tail-end couldn’t contribute to Romsey score and they ended up being bowled out for 207.

Overall in the second innings Shrewton lost three wickets with Draycott (1-19) & Matt Bampton (1-38) the only bowlers looking threatening but the travelling side never really looked like they were going to lose the game and ended up beating Romsey by 7 wickets. Next week Ot’s & Romsey II travel to Hayling Island and hope to get back to winning ways.

OTs and Romsey batsman Rob Newman sustained his impressive form as he guided his side to victory with a sublime 109 not out.

The match started with second place hosting third and Romsey won an important toss to have the opportunity to bowl first.

Their decision seem justified as Paultons lost wickets at regular intervals. Five wickets shared between opening bowlers Steve Smith and Daniel Mogg saw Romsey make a good start.

Nathan Feltham and Antony Richman showed some resistance as they hit 34 and 39 respectively for the home side but once they were removed by Pete Newman and Jody Brown, the hosts offered little else.

Brown cleared up the tail as he picked up two more wickets as Paultons were bowled out for 182.

In reply, Romsey made a slow start falling to 11-3 as the home side’s opening bowlers start well. However, three wickets meant Rob Newman and Will Edwards were brought to the crease.

The pair took apart everything Paultons threw out them, smashing boundaries at a consistent pace.

The sensational hitting saw a stand of 172 for the fourth wicket as Rob Newman fired 16 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 109 off just 104 balls. He was ably supported by Edwards, who himself hit nine boundaries on the way to a score of 53*.

The partnership saw Romsey cruise to victory with 19 overs and seven wickets to spare.