OTs & Romsey first team suffered a third loss of the season – by 27 runsat the hands of Portsmouth in the SEPCL Division 2.

OTs & Romsey were all out for 192 chasing a Portsmouth total of ) 219-9)Romsey won the toss and decided to bowl first. It seemed to be a good decision as Joe Welch and Daniel Mogg removed both of Portsmouth’s opening bowlers cheaply to leave the visitors on 23-2.

However, number three batsman Harry Collier batted on strongly, making 57 before being out LBW off Mogg’s bowling.

Then three wickets from Rob Newman removed Portsmouth’s middle order before Alex Hammond and Patrick Burns added 31 and 27 respectively.

Charlie King and Mogg picked up another wicket each as Portsmouth finished on 219-9.

Romsey the came in to bat targeting 220 to win. The top order got the innings off to a slow start and Romsey were 61-3 when Pete Newman went for 23.

A middle order recovery from Rob Newman and Ieuan Wathan, 36 and 42 respectively, gave Romsey a glimmer of hope but in the end, there was too much work to do and Portsmouth won by 27 runs, with Ishafaque Ahmad taking four wickets.