Batting collapses are common place for New Milton these days – eight wickets tumbling for a mere 26 runs at May’s Bounty before the inevitable eight successive ECB Southern Premier League defeat to Basingstoke & North Hants occurred.
The Green & Golds folded like the proverbial pack of cards in a nose-dive which saw 79-2 become 105 all out – and Basingstoke stroll to a five-wicket victory, which dispels any slender relegation concerns they had.
To their credit, New Milton didn’t wave the white flag, with Josh Arnold taking three of the four wickets Basingstoke lost in a mini ten-run collapse before the Bountymen secure their fourth win of the summer.
New Milton lost opener pair Tom Arnold and rookie Luke Mortimer in David Griffiths’ new ball spell.
But Raff Hussey (34) and Lee Beck (33) added 62 in a heartening partnership before both fell to catches off Mitch Stokes (4-16).
New Milton simply fell apart after that, with former South Africa Under-19 captain Sibz Makhanya, pictured by Neil Smith, with his whippy action, finally got his line right and effectively finished the visitors off with a spell of 4-15.
Basingstoke quickly lost Ben Thane, but Chris Froud (29) and Max Harsham (45) were pointing the hosts to a nine-wicket win at 80-1 when Josh Arnold (3-20) intervened and got New Milton two bowling bonus points.
The Green & Golds folded like the proverbial pack of cards in a nose-dive which saw 79-2 become 105 all out – and Basingstoke stroll to a five-wicket victory, which dispels any slender relegation concerns they had.
To their credit, New Milton didn’t wave the white flag, with Josh Arnold taking three of the four wickets Basingstoke lost in a mini ten-run collapse before the Bountymen secure their fourth win of the summer.
New Milton lost opener pair Tom Arnold and rookie Luke Mortimer in David Griffiths’ new ball spell.
But Raff Hussey (34) and Lee Beck (33) added 62 in a heartening partnership before both fell to catches off Mitch Stokes (4-16).
New Milton simply fell apart after that, with former South Africa Under-19 captain Sibz Makhanya, pictured by Neil Smith, with his whippy action, finally got his line right and effectively finished the visitors off with a spell of 4-15.
Basingstoke quickly lost Ben Thane, but Chris Froud (29) and Max Harsham (45) were pointing the hosts to a nine-wicket win at 80-1 when Josh Arnold (3-20) intervened and got New Milton two bowling bonus points.
