Bashley II win league title despite defeat to South Wilts

Southern Div One / Div Two (West)

Bashley CC II 123

South Wilts II 205-8

BASHLEY CC II secured the league title despite losing by 82 runs to South Wilts II thanks to Langley Manor surprisingly beating the previously undefeated Fair Oak.

Bashley won the coin toss and elected the visitors to bat first. The decision looked to be a good one when South Wilts slumped to 11-3 and later 32-4. However, they were rescued by an excellent 131-run partnership between Will Harries and the experienced Sam Pittman (44) who was content to play second fiddle in the stand and mainly rotated the strike back to his younger partner. Harries ended the afternoon with an unbeaten 112 off 95 balls which included 12 fours and four sixes.

Bashley’s Tom Harris took four wickets for 45 runs while the ever-reliable Simon Ridley ended with three wickets for 24 as South Wilts closed the innings on 205-8.

The Bashley innings started steadily with teenage openers Louis Prichard (17) and Will Tripcony (14) adding 37 before being parted. South Wilts’ impressive Nick Partridge bowled an excellent eight-over spell taking 3-22 including a beauty to get rid of in-form skipper Pat Lewis off his first ball.

After this, only Saif Achakzai (15) and Josh Parsons managed to bat for any significant length of time as the innings slumped to 99-9. Fortunately for the home side, Tom Harris (7*) was able to make a stand with Parsons, who made a very composed unbeaten 28 which included an enormous six that earned his side two valuable batting points as the innings closed at 123.

After leaving the field, news filtered through that the previously unbeaten league challengers Fair Oak had lost at Langley Manor. Following some quick calculations it was realised that the league title had been secured.

Bashley CC II will now play in the Southern Cricket League Div One / Div Two Grand Final against the eventual winners of Div One / Div Two (East) on 19th September.