Old Tauntonians & Romsey clinched the British Gas Southern League Division 2 title amid high drama with a one-run win on Hartley Wintney’s historic Cricket Green.

They’ve been playing cricket on the Green for over 200 years, but it’s doubtful if there’s ever been such a finale to a match – or a title race – as the one played out in glorious early autumn sunshine, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

The winner take all showdown between Division 2’s top two sides had twists and turns galore, with fingers nails being gnawed to the bone as OTs somehow clung on and defend 217 - winning by just one run!

It was pulsating stuff – a fitting finale played out in front of 400 or so enthralled spectators.

OTs, who began the day with a five-point lead at the top, got away to a dream 92-run start through Nick DeStefano (69) and Steve Smith (32), but then lost three wickets for eight runs.

As the innings ebbed and flowed, so Pete Newman (25), Joe Vaughan (15) and Jody Brown (19) scored precious runs.

Hartley Wintney kept taking wickets, at the same time conceding far too many extras - 36 in all, 24 of them wides. Sundries were to cost them dear.

Rhys Batcup (4-36) and Scott Baldwin, whose 3-35 included three clean bowled victims, and New Zealander Henry Collier (2-35) took the HW bowling credits, the Kiwi spin all-rounder getting responsive bounce and turn from a top drawer strip.

A surface to favour spin was music to OTs’ ears – the Romsey visitors employing four slowies – one of them, Pete Newman (2-25) reducing the hosts to 11-2.

It was long evident that New Zealand pair Collier and Baldwin would hold the key – and when the Kiwis took the Hartley score into treble figures, the odds were in favour of a home win.

But the left-hander went for one sweep too many and was trapped leg before by young Joe Vaughan (2-55), who soon after bowled Jamie Teale.

Two more wickets fell to Rob Newman (4-41) at 157 to tip the scales in OTs favour- but, six down, the tall and Baldwin still remained a huge threat.

He made a superb 85 but at 191 picked out Danny Mogg and OTs were back in the driving seat.

Batcup, however, worked Hartley ever closer to OTs’ 217 total.

They got to 213-7 and were on the brink of victory – and the title. But they lost their last three wickets for two runs – two of them to Matt Bampton (2-33) - and were all out for 216 with two balls remaining.

When Bampton clean bowled Ollie Waddington, the OTs celebrations began .. and ran long into the night!