Bashley's Josh Digby continued his fine form to lead his side to a three-wicket win against St Cross Symondians
Southern Premier League Premier Division
St Cross Symondians CC 224-8
Bashley CC 228-7
BASHLEY’S Josh Digby continued his impressive form with both bat and the ball, taking four wickets and scoring 60 runs, to help Bashley to a three-wicket win over top-of-the-table rivals St Cross Symondians.
Bashley captain Michael Porter won the toss and chose visitors St Cross Symondians to bat first. His side’s blistering start, taking the first three wickets for just six runs, proved his decision was correct.
First, opener Harry Came (1) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Harry Fisher off Ben Fletcher (3-54), before Digby (4-49) bowled Michael Haworth for a duck, and Fletcher took the remaining opener Harry Trussler’s (1) wicket.
Brad Taylor and Felix Organ attempted to steady the ship. However, they only managed to add 13 runs for the fourth wicket before another catch from Fisher, this time off Digby, left the visitors in a desperate position at 19-4.
With Bashley eyeing an easy win, Taylor (91), Jo Lewis (58) and Harry Foyle (22) had other ideas. By the time Jacob Gordon (1-27) caught Foyle LBW for the fifth wicket, he and Taylor had added 55 runs.
St Cross were in their groove at this point, and an extraordinary 122-run partnership between Taylor and Lewis took the score to 196-6 when Fisher stumped Lewis off the bowling off former Arnewood pupil Digby.
Taylor’s innings ended nine runs short of a century milestone when captain Porter caught him off Fletcher before Digby bowled Simon Beetham (16) as the last two wickets fell for 28 runs, leaving the visitors on a creditable 224-8 from 50 overs, which seemed highly improbable at 19-4.
In reply, openers Digby (60) and Gordon (25) batted sensibly, putting together a 57-run partnership before the latter lost his wicket to Organ (2-46).
Fisher (5) and Porter (7) contributed single-digit figures while assisting Digby before the trio were out, with Bashley on 99-4.
The middle-order batsmen took control at this stage, with Dan Andrew (61) and Tom Jacques (28) adding 79 runs before Haworth (3-35) bowled the latter at 178-5.
An impressive caught-and-bowled from Beetham (2-38) took the vital wicket of Andrew before Sam Stroud (8) departed identically just one run later with the hosts 16 runs short of victory.
Bashley were not to be denied, and Ben Francis (6 not out) and Michell Wilson (14 not out) saw their side across the line with three wickets spare to keep Bashley at the top end of the table in second place.
Bashley is back in action on Saturday at the Bashley Cricket Ground against South Wilts.
