Brad Neal hauled Basingstoke & North Hants out of the mire by lashing a boundary strewn 93 not out off 58 balls at May’s Bounty – but finished on the losing side as visitors Sarisbury Athletic won by six wickets.
Skittled for 40 by Camberley and then 92 by Alton in their two pre-season warm-up matches, Basingstoke collapsed again in their opening Southern Premier Division 1 match, tumbling from 52-1 to 90-7, initially against the left-arm spin of Sam Hill (2-31) and later Jordan Wright, who finished with 4-64.
Neal decided that attack was the best form of defence and launched four sixes and 14 fours, lifting the ‘Stoke score to a competitive 215.
He added 32 with Matt Donaldson before finding a reliable last wicket partner in Jake Fincken (15), the pair putting on 75.
Finckden (2-46) removed Sarisbury openers Cam Grierson (20) and Elliott Smith (11) to leave the visitors 36-2 and when Donaldson whipped out danger man Josh Hill, Basingstoke sniffed a possible victory.
But a near century stand between Sam Floyd (62 not out) and Ricky Rawlins (47) turned the tide and from 154-3 the visitors were in charge.
Nathan Feltham hits a long ball – as Basingstoke found out, the former Paultons player hoisting three sixes and three fours in a quick-fire 40 not out which carried Sarisbury home with six overs to spare.
Skittled for 40 by Camberley and then 92 by Alton in their two pre-season warm-up matches, Basingstoke collapsed again in their opening Southern Premier Division 1 match, tumbling from 52-1 to 90-7, initially against the left-arm spin of Sam Hill (2-31) and later Jordan Wright, who finished with 4-64.
Neal decided that attack was the best form of defence and launched four sixes and 14 fours, lifting the ‘Stoke score to a competitive 215.
He added 32 with Matt Donaldson before finding a reliable last wicket partner in Jake Fincken (15), the pair putting on 75.
Finckden (2-46) removed Sarisbury openers Cam Grierson (20) and Elliott Smith (11) to leave the visitors 36-2 and when Donaldson whipped out danger man Josh Hill, Basingstoke sniffed a possible victory.
But a near century stand between Sam Floyd (62 not out) and Ricky Rawlins (47) turned the tide and from 154-3 the visitors were in charge.
Nathan Feltham hits a long ball – as Basingstoke found out, the former Paultons player hoisting three sixes and three fours in a quick-fire 40 not out which carried Sarisbury home with six overs to spare.
