BASINGSTOKE and North Hants retained their place at the top of the Southern League Division Two table with an excellent 131-run victory over OTs and Romsey at May’s Bounty on Saturday.

The hosts were in control for much of a rather one-sided game but were especially dominant with the ball as Martyn James stole the show.

James has been the club’s top bowler for several years and he was at his best on Saturday, finding a nagging line and length that the OTs batsman could not leave alone or hit off the square.

He deserved more than the three wickets he took, making the visiting batsmen play and miss on several occasions, but his spell of 10 overs for the concession of just 10 runs, bowling five maiden overs, played a big part in Basingstoke’s convincing win.

The hosts lost the toss under heavy skies at May’s Bounty and were duly put in to bat. Despite an early rain delay, they got off to a good start, openers Andy Fulton and Chris Froud scoring at a decent rate before falling in successive overs.

Another shower had the players off for a second time during the eighth over but that proved to be the final delay and when play resumed, captain Dan Coombs (45) and Dean Nurse (52) gave the hosts a firm grip on the game.

Their partnership of 106 put Basingstoke in a strong position, with both playing sensibly but going for their shots when the opportunity arose.

Nurse lived a little more on the edge, hitting two sixes and being dropped twice on his way to 50, and he fell almost immediately after reaching his half-century, caught on the boundary going for another maximum.

Coombs followed him back to the pavilion in the very next over, caught at square leg going for a needlessly risky scoop over his shoulder, and the innings had lost its impetus.

Having made 140 in the first 30 overs, the hosts made just 28 in the next 10, losing two wickets in the process, but some good attacking batting from Craig Williamson (40) and James (31) in a seventh-wicket stand of 63 took Basingstoke to 230.

The final four wickets fell for just one run in the space of eight balls, but 231 looked a good score on a difficult pitch, even when OTs’ target was reduced to 216 off 43 overs due to the earlier rain.

As it turned out, it was comfortably enough. James struck in his first over, taking a sharp caught and bowled chance, and while Ryan Connor was not at his best early on, he improved and had the other visiting opener caught at slip.

Two more wickets fell in quick succession with the score on 26 and after 10 overs OTs were in desperate trouble at 27-4.

A fifth wicket partnership of 35 between Stuart Shapland (17) and Charlie King (11) steadied the ship somewhat but they were never able to score at anywhere near the required rate.

James had King caught at slip with the final ball of his spell and when Shapland was sent on his way with the first ball of the next over, the game was up.

It was left to spinners David Pistorius (2-15) and Matt Thankachan (3-15) to sweep up the tail, with the final wicket falling in the 27th over to give the hosts a comfortable victory.