Top spot in Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 is like the proverbial hot potato no one wants to hold on to it too long !

St Cross Symondians became the third club in as many weeks to go top after overnight leaders Trojans lost by six wickets at Ventnor.

Hampshire left-hander Jimmy Adams played for St Cross at Rowledge just two weeks after his maiden century heroics against Yorkshire at Headingley.

But, having been run out early in the St Cross innings, he found himself upstaged by his brother Ben, whose unbeaten 96 pointed the new divisional leaders to a sizeable 247-4.

Adams added 57 with teenager Jo Lovett (42) and then shared a century-plus stand with Raj Naik (58 not out) as St Cross, with the aid of a pre-team cameo from Mark Padwick (23), put the game beyond reach.

Chris Yates (93) led Rowledge to a challenging 138-1, but the innings subsided to 199 all out Jimmy Adams, right, underlining his bowling credentials with a 4-54 return which removed the middle-order.

Trojans' stay at the top was a short lived affair a modest 197-7 off 47 overs being comfortably overhauled as Matt Compton hit a century for Ventnor.

Ferry cancellations and Trojans' subsequent late arrival cut the playing time, but only Nigel le Bas (56) and Simon Williams (45) really made their mark for the visitors.

Compton showed the way after that his 101 including four 6s and 12 fours and guiding the champions to an easy six-wicket win.

Lymington's bright start has evaporated with a second consecutive defeat by 96 runs at Andover.

Apart from one brief spell when Mark Burrett (3-43) took two wickets in quick succession, Lymington enjoyed little overall control.

Mark Miller (69) and Cille van der Merwe (28) got Andover away to a positive start, which Mark Williams (34), Tim Saye (22) and Mark Copleston (21) improved to leave Lymington chasing 250-8.

Lloyd Scott (3-86) toiled hard for the visitors, who reached 74-1 in reply only to lose six wickets for just 21 runs!

Adie Hunt, Keith Dabengwa and Burrett all made 23, but a four-wicket spell by Roger "Monty" Miller (4-23) saw Lymington's middle-order disintegrate.

Christian Pain (25) and Adam Darbyshire (17) propped things up at the end, but at 154 all out Lymington were well beaten.

Max Smith was the inspiration behind Old Tauntonians & Romsey's first win a five-wicket triumph over visiting Hungerford.

OTR always looked on for a win when Hungerford dipped to 33-4, but it was Smith (4-18) who checked a late rally led by Robbie Sadler (39), Jason Williams (38) and Ben Ingray (26) which enabled the visitors to post 186.

But Smith's 65, aided by Charlie Forward (37) and Stuart Tulk (25), eased OT's home with five overs to spare.

Only Dave Smith (51) put up much of a fight as Havsnt II crashed to 118 all out and a seven-wicket defeat at Purbrook (Will Prozesky 46 no).