 Josh Digby |  Dan Andrew |
A third defeat in four outings has cast a huge doubt on whether St Cross Symondians, the pre-season title favourites, can land a second ECB Southern Premier Division championship in four years.
After winning their opening three games and topping the league table in its embryo stages, they have stuttered badly and go into Saturday’s match at Chapel Gate (11.30) 26 points adrift of Bournemouth, who have won all six matches since losing a Green Jackets thriller on May 1.
It’s a match St Cross simply cannot afford to lose for if they are beaten a fourth time their title prospects will effectively be over.
A third loss, following the upset at Alton and defeat by South Wilts, came by three wickets at Bashley (Rydal), who have moved into second place behind Bournemouth.
St Cross lost their first three wickets for six runs and were soon 19-4 after being put into bat at the BCG, where Ben Fletcher (3-54) and Josh Digby (4-49) shared the new ball spoils.
After winning their opening three games and topping the league table in its embryo stages, they have stuttered badly and go into Saturday’s match at Chapel Gate (11.30) 26 points adrift of Bournemouth, who have won all six matches since losing a Green Jackets thriller on May 1.
It’s a match St Cross simply cannot afford to lose for if they are beaten a fourth time their title prospects will effectively be over.
A third loss, following the upset at Alton and defeat by South Wilts, came by three wickets at Bashley (Rydal), who have moved into second place behind Bournemouth.
St Cross lost their first three wickets for six runs and were soon 19-4 after being put into bat at the BCG, where Ben Fletcher (3-54) and Josh Digby (4-49) shared the new ball spoils.
 Brad Taylor (91) steadied the St Cross ship, while (right) Mitch Wilson blasts the ball out of the ground to seal Bashley's victory. |  |
Brad Taylor, with a patient 91, and teenager Joe Lewis (58), who made a maiden SPL fifty, came to the rescue with a century stand which enabled St Cross to reach 224-8.
Digby (60) then underpinned Bashley’s reply, initially with Jacob Gordon (25), but when he and Michael Porter departed in quick succession to Matt Haworth (3-35), the game was in the balance at 99-4.
Enter Dan Andrew, promoted to Bashley one’s on the back of 73 and 81 for the seconds, who emerged from a scratchy start to twice launch sixes clean out of the ground.
The Bournemouth University student never looked back and, with Tom Jacques (28) a trusted partner, hit a run-a-ball 61 to take the score to 208-5.
When two more wickets fell, St Cross sniffed an outside chance – one Mitch Wilson ended with a six and two fours to get Bashley across the line with 11 balls to spare.
Pictures by courtesy of Terry Nash.
Digby (60) then underpinned Bashley’s reply, initially with Jacob Gordon (25), but when he and Michael Porter departed in quick succession to Matt Haworth (3-35), the game was in the balance at 99-4.
Enter Dan Andrew, promoted to Bashley one’s on the back of 73 and 81 for the seconds, who emerged from a scratchy start to twice launch sixes clean out of the ground.
The Bournemouth University student never looked back and, with Tom Jacques (28) a trusted partner, hit a run-a-ball 61 to take the score to 208-5.
When two more wickets fell, St Cross sniffed an outside chance – one Mitch Wilson ended with a six and two fours to get Bashley across the line with 11 balls to spare.
Pictures by courtesy of Terry Nash.
