Hampshire’s senior men’s side stepped up to the mark to halt a Somerset comeback in the British Inter County League.

Visitors Hampshire were in front from day one but could not pull away from their opponents.

Somerset even threatened to turn the tables on Hampshire when they got back to within a game, but a nine-game winning sequence put paid to their efforts.

The women’s B side got Hampshire off to a steady start – wins from Kelly Palmer, Sam Pike and Jaine Heaton producing a 3-3 draw.

The men’s second string then gave Hampshire a two-game overnight cushion with victories from Bradley Kirk, Nathan Street, Adam Lipscombe, Andy Mitchell, Steve Musson, Mick Cookman and Graham Chalk.

The advantage moved on to four games with the women’s A side winning 4-2 – Gemma Hayter, Tara Power, Jane Monaghan and Wendy Reinstadtler recording wins.

There was a nervous patch for Hampshire as they lost the opening three games of the men’s A team battle, with the overall score going to 14-13 in Hampshire’s favour.

But that was as close as Somerset got as Hampshire got into their stride with wins from Mick Street, Nillson Pritchard, Gary Stafford, Martin Stead, Kev Ede, Mike Gillet, Paul Winter, Lee Ward and Sam Head.

Pritchard recorded Hampshire’s best men’s average with 29.47 and Wendy Reinstadtler’s 23.48 was the ladies’ best.