Title-chasing Bashley one win away from Southern Premier Division glory
Southern Premier Division: Bashley CC 199 v Basingstoke and North Hants 137 (Bashley CC win by 63 runs)
Bashley can all but secure their first-ever Southern Premier Division title on Saturday when they host local rivals Lymington after beating Basingstoke and North Hants by 63 runs at May's Bounty.
George Wilson (45) and Bradley Currie (40) rescued Bashley from 107-8 to 199 all out before the latter took figures of 4-17 as Basingstoke collapsed to 137 all out.
The league leaders struggled early on as they lost both openers, Tom Jacques (3) and Alex Turner (3) in the first two overs.
Ben Walker and Michael Porter repaired the damage with a 32-run partnership before Walker was caught behind by wicketkeeper Lawrence Benge off Chris Jolley for four.
Porter and Tom Friend added 29 for the fourth wicket before the former was trapped leg-before for 28 by Jolley to give him his third wicket.
New batsman George Pardoe and Porter put on a further 23 runs before Bashley collapsed as they lost four wickets for 15 runs.
However, Currie and Wilson then combined as they accumulated a 73-run partnership to frustrate Basingstoke before both batsmen were run out by Ashley Neal as Bashley fell one run short of a fourth batting point.
Bashley were superb with the ball as they reduced Basingstoke to 81-9 in reply as Currie claimed four wickets with the others shared between Pardoe (2-19), Wilson (1-36) and Ross Grierson (1-34).
A solid innings of 56* from Joe Oates gave the visitors hope as he shared a 56-run stand with number 11, Benge.
However, Josh Digby struck to claim his first wicket of the game as Benge was caught by Walker for 20 to end the innings as Bashley marched on in pursuit of their first-ever Southern Premier Division title.
Bashley face local rivals Lymington on Saturday to all but seal their maiden Premier Division title. While Lymington will look to avenge their five-wicket defeat earlier in the season which saw them bowled out for 48.
