
Teenager Tyler Bradley produced a stunning late hat-trick to halt Calmore Sports’ victory bid in its tracks and set up a thrilling four-run win for Basingstoke & North Hants, their third in succession in Southern Premier Division One.
Albeit they still had work to do, Calmore were well placed at 192-5 in the 37th (of 40) over, chasing down Basingstoke’s 223-9 at May’s Bounty.
Sam Moss (38) and young wicketkeeper Max Bailey (19) had lifted Calmore from 129-5 with their 63 runs stand, but with the visitors 32 runs shy of their target the game took a dramatic twist.
Coming down the slope, Bradley (left) struck a triple blow with the fourth, fifth and sixth balls of his eighth and last over.
He had both Moss and then Bailey caught off consecutive balls at deep mid-off by Mitchell Stokes and then trapped the evergreen Mike West leg before wicket to complete a remarkable hat-trick.
In the space of three deliveries Calmore had plunged from 196-5 to 192-8 to suddenly put Basingstoke in the driving seat.
Steve Wright (17 not out) and Ben Perry then added 24 precious runs but, with 12 required off the final over, Matt Donaldson (2-42) bowled Perry to leave Calmore eventually stranded on 219-9.
Left-hand opener Ben Johns (55), aided by Shaun Johnson (31) and Mark Lavelle (21), provided the early runs for Calmore.
Basingstoke had earlier got away to a sound start with a half-century stand between Matt Deadman (29) and Josh Coombs (34), but Mark Lavelle (3-44) struck with successive balls to leave Dean Nurse (33) and Joe Oates to reboot the innings.
Oates has been in a rich vein of form this summer and made fifty-plus scores against both Portsmouth and Rowledge.
He certainly went to town against Calmore, smashing five sixes and another five fours in a blistering 84, scored off 67 balls, his highest SPL score for Basingstoke, before becoming a third victim for Shawn Johnson (3-48).
Albeit they still had work to do, Calmore were well placed at 192-5 in the 37th (of 40) over, chasing down Basingstoke’s 223-9 at May’s Bounty.
Sam Moss (38) and young wicketkeeper Max Bailey (19) had lifted Calmore from 129-5 with their 63 runs stand, but with the visitors 32 runs shy of their target the game took a dramatic twist.
Coming down the slope, Bradley (left) struck a triple blow with the fourth, fifth and sixth balls of his eighth and last over.
He had both Moss and then Bailey caught off consecutive balls at deep mid-off by Mitchell Stokes and then trapped the evergreen Mike West leg before wicket to complete a remarkable hat-trick.
In the space of three deliveries Calmore had plunged from 196-5 to 192-8 to suddenly put Basingstoke in the driving seat.
Steve Wright (17 not out) and Ben Perry then added 24 precious runs but, with 12 required off the final over, Matt Donaldson (2-42) bowled Perry to leave Calmore eventually stranded on 219-9.
Left-hand opener Ben Johns (55), aided by Shaun Johnson (31) and Mark Lavelle (21), provided the early runs for Calmore.
Basingstoke had earlier got away to a sound start with a half-century stand between Matt Deadman (29) and Josh Coombs (34), but Mark Lavelle (3-44) struck with successive balls to leave Dean Nurse (33) and Joe Oates to reboot the innings.
Oates has been in a rich vein of form this summer and made fifty-plus scores against both Portsmouth and Rowledge.
He certainly went to town against Calmore, smashing five sixes and another five fours in a blistering 84, scored off 67 balls, his highest SPL score for Basingstoke, before becoming a third victim for Shawn Johnson (3-48).