BAT Sports inflicted a crushing seven-wicket defeat on Old Tauntonians & Romsey - but title rivals Havant were held to a draw by neighbours Portsmouth at St Helen's, Southsea.

Basement club OTs, whose Hampshire League side were ruthlessly crushed by Fair Oak, were almost dead and buried at lunch against rampant BAT.

Barton Peveril teacher Ben Tait (3-15) got among their top order, with Jeremy Ord (20) the only batsman to make any impact as OTs slid to 77-7 at the lunch break.

Wayne Lockey (18 not out) did his best to keep the innings afloat, but BAT's four-pronged seam attack were too good and eventually nailed the beleaguered Romsey side for 77.

Richard Kenway and David Banks were both trapped leg before when BAT replied, but Damian Shirazi's unbeaten 30 took the defending champions to an easy 18-point win.

Eastern Province all-rounder Carl Bradfield took 5-31 and struck a half-century for Portsmouth, who held Havant's challenge at St Helen's, Southsea.

The South African did some early damage as Havant creaked at 70-3 (Will Prozesky 33), but was unable to halt the fourth-wicket stand between Olly Jones (64 not out) and Andy Perry (37), which shaped the visitors' innings.

Jones celebrated his debut SPL half-century as Havant, in between Bradfield's breakthroughs, reached 226 all out.

Bradfield got his 54 out of a top order reply of 95-5, but once he was bowled by Richard Hindley (3-61), Portsmouth were unlikely to make a serious challenge.

Lee Savident hit an unbeaten 52 and with James Manning (20) denied Havant the time to force a victory.

Portsmouth closed at 171-8.