Bashley CC sufferer first league defeat in Bournemouth battering

Southern Premier League Premier Division

Bashley CC 138

Bournemouth CC 141-1

BASHLEY suffered their first league loss of the season when Bournemouth cruised to a nine-wicket win over the defending 2019 champions on their soil.

The win at the Bashley Cricket Ground has bolstered Bournemouth captain Chris Park’s belief that his side is ready to challenge for a top-three spot in the Southern Premier League Premier Division.

Speaking after the victory, Park said: “We’ve beaten Burridge and Bashley in our last two matches and really should have won our opening game against St Cross Symondians, who are favourites for the title in many people’s eyes, and we’re really carrying on where we left off last season when we reached the league cup final.

“We’ve carried the momentum through into this season. We appear to be shaping up nicely, with the bowlers taking 28 wickets (out of 30) in the three games and the batters are in good nick.”

Bournemouth certainly got it all together against Bashley, dismissing the title holders for 138 before cruising to an emphatic victory with the best part of 18 overs to spare.

“We bowled well as a unit and fielded well, putting the Bashley batsmen under pressure and forcing them into mistakes,” Park reflected, singling out left-armer Simon Woodruff for special praise.

“Simon’s had a lot of injuries, so to come back and bowl ten overs in the heat and whip out three of their top seven was particularly pleasing.

“So too was the performance of Matthew King, who has just turned 16 years of age and took 2-18 on his first-team debut, including the wicket of Michael Porter, the Bashley captain.”

Bashley’s Jacob Gordon, who seems to be improving with every visit to the crease, did his best to glue the Bashley innings together, facing 113 balls before being ninth out for 54.

It was a concentrated effort, underlining the trait he learned in Australia this past winter by not giving his wicket away. Alas, he lacked any worthwhile support as Bashley sank deeper into the mire.

The next three highest-scoring Bashley batters were Sam Stroud (13), Michael Porter (11) and Mitchell Wilson (10).

With Hampshire’s Brad Currie still troubled by a hamstring injury, Bashley lacked the clout to do any damage with the ball, and Bournemouth progressed comfortably to 78-0 before Josh Digby broke through and bowled Sam Collins (28).

Nick Park carried on and hit nine fours in an unbeaten 54, while Luke Webb, who seldom looks like getting out, struck a bad ball for four and finished with 39 not out.