HARTLEY Wintney failed to get their promotion hunt back on track, as they lost by nine wickets at Totton and Eling.

Having been put into bat, the visitors were soon in trouble with Will Kerr (4) and Indy Chakrabati (0) both out in successive balls with the score on eight.

Hugo Hammond (2) and Harry Broderick (0) joined them in the pavilion making it 12-4 and it soon became 31-5, as Jamie Teale (6) was the fifth man out.

At this point, top scorer Jason Knibbs (62) was joined by Roy Cockram (23) and they added 43 for the sixth wicket.

After Cockram’s 52-ball knock which included two fours and one six was ended, Angus Brown failed to trouble the scorers as Hartley found themselves on 74-7.

Jonathan Kerr then joined Knibbs for the best partnership of the Hartley innings as the pair put on 83.

Knibbs was then dismissed and his patient 125-ball stay at the centre saw him hit four fours and one six.

Kerr continued to add more runs and finished unbeaten on 61 from 58 balls, having hit seven fours and one six, as Hartley made 178-8 from their 50 overs.

The home reply got off to a solid start as Totton openers Dimitri Adams (40) and Jimmy Taylor put on 67 for the first wicket.

Adams was then caught by Chakrabati off the bowling Dan Reynaldo.

This unfortunately proved to be the only wicket of the innings, as Jimmy Taylor (65) and Ethan Taylor (51) saw the home side to victory with 13 overs to spare.

Next for Hartley on Saturday is a league clash against Waterlooville, this after the previous day facing a Hampshire XI in their annual charity match in the village.