Tichborne Park's bid to make up ground on Burridge in the Hampshire League, County Division 2 leadership race was thwarted by a teatime downpour.

The Alresford club were 49-1 off 9.5 overs, chasing Burridge's 201-7, when the rains came down.

The abandonment left both clubs with their unblemished records intact - and Tichborne Park still two points adrift at the top.

Peter Tugwell (65) top scored for Burridge, while Martin Butler, defying a long-term back injury, took 4-79 for Tichborne.

Opener Jeff Williams (59) and number three Jeff Wheeler (51) hit half-centuries as third-placed Whitchurch beat Hursley Park by virtue of a faster overall scoring rate in one of five matches to be decided by the calculator.

Another 16 County Division matches were washed out altogether as tea-time rain spread throughout the region.

The elements made little difference to runaway Division 1 leaders Ventnor who stretched their lead over Hartley Wintney to six points with an easy nine-wicket win over United Services.

Teenagers Alex Baker (73) - pictured - and Steve Snell (71) led Ventnor to an eighth straight win.

Australian Scott Fitzsimmons smashed a quick-fire 50 as Hartley Wintney raced to 123-2 off only 13 overs against Old Tauntonians & Romsey - only to be denied victory by the rain.

Steve Cauldicot hit a maiden 109 for the visitors.

The Holewell brothers, Adie and Micky, gunned down Sarisbury Athletic (96) and sent Salisbury Wanderers soaring into fourth place, just three points behind South Wilts, whom they visit on Saturday.

Nik Kitson (45) and Jon Williams (44) led South Wilts to a ten-wicket win at Winchester, but Fareham & Crofton were skittled for 107 and soundly thrashed by nine wickets by Southsea, for whom Dave Chisholm made 60 not out.

Retired fast bowler Scott Jones displayed his newfound batting skills with a maiden century in Lock's Heath's victory over Ropley.

The top CD3 duel between Cadnam and BAT Sports was washed out - the tobaccomen were in some difficulty at 82-5 - as was Easton & Martyr Worthy's visit to Oakley, where the visitors were in a strong position at 232-8 when the weather intervened.

South African teenager Ryan Tate (75) and top ECB coach Tony Oxley (65) led CD4 title contenders Fair Oak to 304-7 and to a thumping 213-run win over Portsmouth.

Beaten New Forest Cup finalists and Division 4 leaders Hythe & Dibden were stranded by the rain at Crown Taverners.

But fourth-placed Chawton came a cropper at Wickham, where Neil Jacob cracked an unbeaten 151 in the home club's 251-6.

Easton & Martyr Worthy's Wadworth 6X Village Championship sixth round tie against Blackheath (Surrey) is at Cockets Meadow on Sunday, 2.30pm.