In a match curtailed early by heavy rain, Old Tauntonians and Romsey returned to the top of the Southern Electric Premier League by narrowly defeating Totton and Eling II at the Sports Centre on Saturday.

After losing the toss, Romsey looked to be in trouble as wickets tumbled against some accurate bowling from the visiting openers.

Hakim Peruzi removed Danny Mills for 11 and Nick Destefano for 3, followed soon after by Charlie Forward for 4 as he fell lbw to Nick Lyell.

Charlie King and Paul Longland pulled the poor start back briefly before Longland was well run out for 13.

Keeper Keith Trodd went without scoring and when Stuart Shapland was bowled by Matt Edwards the score was 61-6.

With King holding up one end, skipper Jody Brown started to play a few more expansive shots and the pair shared a valuable 51 runs.

King finally fell for 21, but Brown, this time helped by Max Smith, kept the runs coming.

He eventually top scored with 34 and with contributions late on from Max Smith and Dan Mogg Romsey were finally all out for 149.

Totton also found runs had to come by, especially in the face of a barrage from Mogg and Stuart Shapland.

They lost a wicket at 10 when Josh Metcalfe was caught in the slips by Charlie Forward, the first of his three catches.

Jannie Nel and Faisal Mutiti both lost their wickets with the score on 27 and three runs later Callum Holloway was back in the pavilion.

Mogg had completed a superb spell of 4-31 runs and Shapland’s 7 overs had cost just 11 runs.

Max Smith was also bowling with great economy and he had Peruzi caught by Forward, the score being 45-5.

Ed Moore and Matt Edwards doggedly stood firm and they had scored 40 runs together before the heavens opened with the total at 85-5.

Both teams waited in the pavilion for the rain to abate, OTs knowing that no further play would give them win points, and Totton knowing they needed at least 10 runs in two overs if they got back on.

The umpires reluctantly had to give in to the weather and OTs had secured the win.

With Sarisbury losing at Sparsholt, the win meant Romsey returned to the top with three matches left to play.

OTs & Romsey’s second XI could be sucked into a relegation battle as the lost their third successive match in the Hampshire League County Division Three, this time against bottom club East Woodhay.

On winning the toss, skipper Ian Tulk and Steve Caldecott recorded a 63-run opening stand, and Caldecott went on to score a season best 70 in 107 balls.

But after his dismissal wickets tumbled down the order as the batsmen tried to up the run rate.

Mark Whytehead played a part by smiting four successive sixes off the hapless Tristan Stockwell but the final score on a good wicket and fast outfield of 192 was not on par.

East Woodhay, who had not won a match all season, seemed to be heading the same way as they lost their first two wickets without scoring.

Tim Swinn bowled Nick Bird and Ben Lawrance skied his first ball off Steve Smith to Phil Wyatt.

Matt Chivers was bowled by Smith and at 27-3 it looked perilous for the home side.

Young 17-year-old Berkshire colt Tim Flack played a poised innings, striking 76 in 120 balls.

He was supported by Joe Lawrance, who contributed 43, and later Jim Stockwell, with 39, as the home side recorded their first win of the season by four wickets.