Bashley (Rydal) are already 25 points adrift at the ECB Southern Premier Division after suffering a fourth successive defeat – the Hampshire Academy beating them by five wickets in the idyllic surroundings of Winchester College.
They have managed to glean only eight bonus points from their four outings and were indebted to their youngest player, 16-year old Finn Gordon for being able to post a modest 157.
Gordon hit a second consecutive fifty and came to the crease at 23-3 after Bashley’s top order had experienced an uncomfortable hour of life in the fast lane against Academy pace duo Eddie Jack and Zac Gadsby.
The Academy duo were sharp – Jack, the England U19 all-rounder from Canford, conceding only five runs off his eight overs and Gadsby 29 off a longer 15-over stint.
But Gordon, whose elder brother Jacob now plays for Surrey Championship side Weybridge, withstood the pressure and, with eight boundaries to his name, made 58 of the 98 runs Bashley had on the board when he fell to a catch off KES starlet Ben Mayes (2-14).
Bashley-raised leg spinner Ethan Baker (3-49) gradually worked his way through the middle-order, leaving Bournemouth university student Osian Webber, on his farewell appearance before returning to Swansea, to make a late 33 and lift the total to 157.
Bashley did, at least, manage to bat all bar three of their 64-overs, but a target score of 158 was never likely to trouble the Hampshire youngsters, who went through the gears as they progressed to victory.
Tom Cheater clipped a run-a-ball 19 before Wilfred La Fontane Jackson (40) took a liking to Josh Digby, dumping the Bashley captain over the boundary rope three times along with his four fours.
Dom Kelly weighed in with 44 – 30 of his runs came in boundaries – and Joseph Eckland 33 as the Academy cruised home.
They have managed to glean only eight bonus points from their four outings and were indebted to their youngest player, 16-year old Finn Gordon for being able to post a modest 157.
Gordon hit a second consecutive fifty and came to the crease at 23-3 after Bashley’s top order had experienced an uncomfortable hour of life in the fast lane against Academy pace duo Eddie Jack and Zac Gadsby.
The Academy duo were sharp – Jack, the England U19 all-rounder from Canford, conceding only five runs off his eight overs and Gadsby 29 off a longer 15-over stint.
But Gordon, whose elder brother Jacob now plays for Surrey Championship side Weybridge, withstood the pressure and, with eight boundaries to his name, made 58 of the 98 runs Bashley had on the board when he fell to a catch off KES starlet Ben Mayes (2-14).
Bashley-raised leg spinner Ethan Baker (3-49) gradually worked his way through the middle-order, leaving Bournemouth university student Osian Webber, on his farewell appearance before returning to Swansea, to make a late 33 and lift the total to 157.
Bashley did, at least, manage to bat all bar three of their 64-overs, but a target score of 158 was never likely to trouble the Hampshire youngsters, who went through the gears as they progressed to victory.
Tom Cheater clipped a run-a-ball 19 before Wilfred La Fontane Jackson (40) took a liking to Josh Digby, dumping the Bashley captain over the boundary rope three times along with his four fours.
Dom Kelly weighed in with 44 – 30 of his runs came in boundaries – and Joseph Eckland 33 as the Academy cruised home.
