OT's & Romsey suffered a second consecutive defeat when Sarisbury Athletic beat them by 97 runs at the By-pass ground - their second tough assignment since promotion to the Southern Premier League Division One.

Tom Morton and Kaiden Cookson had moved the score on to 30 before Graham Noble found the edge of the dangerous Morton's bat to remove him for 17. Cookson and Jack Robson progressed the score to 69 before Cookson drove a Matt Bampton half volley straight to Noble at mid off. Leg spinner Joe Vaughan removed Ricky Rawlings for one, caught by wicketkeeper Tom George and Bampton accounted for the big hitting Nigel Feltham for 10 caught at backward point by Vaughan.

Robson was joined by Joshua Williams with the score on 101 and the pair built a solid partnership of 55 before Vikram Dawson clean bowled Williams for 28. Robson had moved to a very useful 73 from 102 balls with six fours and a six before being bowled by Vaughan. Skipper Franklin soon followed for 10. When Connor Clark was run out for four Sarisbury were 195 for 8 with two overs remaining.

Archie Pascoe hit four boundaries in a quick fire 30 not out to boost the final score to 226 for 8 from their 50 overs. Joe Vaughan picked up two wickets for 30 runs from his 10 overs and Matt Bampton 2 for 46.

OT's & Romsey lost opener Noble for 11 with the score on 13 and Hampshire's Chris Wood soon followed, chopping on for four off the bowling of Pascoe. Charlie King soon followed for 10, smartly stumped by Morton off the left arm spin of Cookson. Both Harry Tulk and skipper Rob Newman departed with the score on 53 and when Elliot Ponting was run out by a smart throw from Pascoe, OT's were in all sorts of trouble at 54 for 6. Vaughan and Hakim Peruzi started to rebuild, Peruzi had been content to play the anchor role, but he was caught and bowled for seven by Sam Hill from a leading edge with the score on 90.

Vaughan and Dawson took the score to 121, before Vaughan was spectacularly caught on the long on boundary by Williams, who in the process of catching the ball immediately threw the ball in the air as he crossed the boundary rope to complete the catch. Vaughan's 44 came from 54 balls  and included a six and five fours. The final two wickets of George and Bampton soon followed and OT's were all out for 129. There were three wickets apiece for Cookson and Hill.

Next up for OT's & Romsey is an away fixture at Book & Newnham on Saturday and a T20 cup match at Premier League high fliers At St Cross on Sunday.