Hursley Park have fallen 20 points behind Basingstoke & North Hants in the quest for the Southern Electric Premier Division 2 honours after suffering a 36-run defeat by Old Tauntonians & Romsey.

It was the Park’s second defeat in the past three weeks – but a result that enhanced OTs’ prospects of clawing away from the league basement.

OTs batted consistently down the order, with Paul Longland (42) and Nick Destefano (38) partnering teenager Robert Newman (52), who made his second half century of the month.

Charlie King (25) chipped in as OTs posted 241-9.

Hursley Park’s reply never really got going – Stu Shapland (1-17) sending down a mean ten-over spell at the start of the evening session.

Joe Thoebald (37), Matt Branford (34) and Jamie Cook (32) all made positive contributions, but by then Hursley were 129-6 (Max Smith 3-27) and with a lot still to do.

Matt Oliver (23) helped Theobald lifted the finbal total to 205, Newman (2-38) taking two of the last three wickets.