ALTON 2nd XI registered only their second win of the season, beating Fair Oak by 44 runs to lift themselves off the bottom of the SPL Division Three table.

Asked to bat, Alton reached an encouraging 70-2, but then slumped to 128 all out. Skipper Hugo Hammond top-scored with 35 and Tom Green contributed a valuable 26.

Alton must have feared the worst as the home side moved to 31 without loss, but once Steve Ball had made the breakthrough, wickets began to tumble. Fair Oak collapsed to 84 all out, Lee Partner finishing them off with a burst of 4-8 in 4.2 overs. Toby Salmon, fired up after scoring a duck, did the early damage with 4-36 in nine overs.

• Alton 3rd XI recorded back-to-back wins, beating Whitchurch by 64 runs (Hants League County 4N). Alton mustered 145 all out, thanks to a fine 55 from Andy Pearce. It seemed a modest total, but the returning Dan Trim blew Whitchurch away with an inspired 5-16 off eight overs. Youngsters Ethan Streek and Ellis Ballinger chipped in with two wickets each and the home side were dismissed for 81.