After a season of hard work and toil, Jody Brown's Old Tauntonians and Romsey team not only won promotion into the Southern Electric Premier League Division Two (Silver Division), but they did it in style, overtaking Tichborne Park to secure the Division Three Championship.

They did so with a comfortable 85-run win at Fair Oak on the last day of the season Play did not start until 3.40pm after the umpires had made numerous inspections.

OT’s lost the toss but set up a comfortable win by making 163-8 in a match reduced to 36 overs per side.

On a sluggish, damp pitch and slow outfield, OT’s openers Gus Flack and Nick DeStefano shared an opening stand of 72 before Flack was caught in the deep for 26.

Keith Trodd did not stay long and despite Destefano’s innings there was a lull as Max Smith found his feet.

DeStefano was third out with the score on 128, but it was an innings that was to prove valuable in the long run.

The middle order struggled against some tight bowling but with Smith coercing they rallied enough to ensure maximum batting points.

DeStefano struck 8 fours in his 67 runs off 82 balls.

Smith was last out for a belligerent 24 off 55 balls.

There was a good crowd at Lapstone Park to support the Romsey side, especially as all the other three sides had their matches called off. OT’s opened with Dan Mogg and Steve Smith, who both were successful in their opening overs.

Mogg had the dangerous Mark Thorne bowled for a duck and Smith dismissed the other opening batsman Greig Stewart in the same manner.

All the OT’s bowlers caused the Fair Oak batsmen problems.

Mogg had wicket-keeper Stuart Martin well caught by Stuart Shapland as wickets fell at regular intervals.

He took three wickets for 11 runs in a seven-over spell that broke the back of the Fair Oak innings.

It was all but over when spinners Charlie King and Danny Mills both took two wickets to dismiss the home side for a paltry 78.

The victory secured the title thanks to Tichborne Park’s 44-run defeat against United Services.

Sarisbury Green took the runners-up spot after beating Totton & Eling II.

Mills was playing his last league game for OT’s as he moves to Australia during the winter.