MoM Ethan Taylor hit 36 and took 4-30
Basingstoke & North Hants twice allowed promising situations slip from their grasp enabling an Ethan Taylor inspired Totton & Eling to record a 35-run win at Southern Gardens.
It was Basingstoke’s first match since being relegated from the top flight of Southern Premier League cricket in 2019 and prospects appeared good when the evergreen Matt Thankachan (3-17) combined with Brad and Ashley Neal to reduce Totton to 60-4.
But Ethan Taylor (36) and Sam Bracey (30) doubled the score and with teenager Tommy Cheater swatting three sixes in a quick fire 41 not out, Totton went on to reach 209-8 off 40 overs.
Basingstoke lost openers Dan Belcher and Matt Deadman cheaply, but Ash (44) and Brad Neal (26) revived their fortunes to 93-2.
Joe Oates (35) weighed in, but a key left-arm spin spell by Ethan Taylor (4-30) took out the Basingstoke middle-order and the innings subsided to 174 all out.
Double promotion winning skipper Dave Orchard had misgivings about batting first against Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park as it all began to go wrong for St Cross Symondians II once former Hampshire opener Jason Laney was bowled for a sixth ball duck.
Left-armer Steve Wright (1-11 off eight overs), who regards Laney’s wicket as the biggest scalp of his still fledgling career, and Solent University’s Yannick De Mezieres (1-9 off six) called the tune as St Cross quickly fell to 13-3 and later 52-5 (Matt Swann 22).
Radley College prospect George O’Connor (24) top scored as St Cross struggled to 121-9, Mark Lavelle sending down a typically miserly 3-10 spell and Ben Perry taking two wickets.
It was never enough. Calmore’s third wicket pair Sam Moss (39) and Shaun Johnson (26) effectively made sure of that, but the hosts did lose five poles before the win was assured with five overs to spare.
It was Basingstoke’s first match since being relegated from the top flight of Southern Premier League cricket in 2019 and prospects appeared good when the evergreen Matt Thankachan (3-17) combined with Brad and Ashley Neal to reduce Totton to 60-4.
But Ethan Taylor (36) and Sam Bracey (30) doubled the score and with teenager Tommy Cheater swatting three sixes in a quick fire 41 not out, Totton went on to reach 209-8 off 40 overs.
Basingstoke lost openers Dan Belcher and Matt Deadman cheaply, but Ash (44) and Brad Neal (26) revived their fortunes to 93-2.
Joe Oates (35) weighed in, but a key left-arm spin spell by Ethan Taylor (4-30) took out the Basingstoke middle-order and the innings subsided to 174 all out.
Double promotion winning skipper Dave Orchard had misgivings about batting first against Calmore Sports at Loperwood Park as it all began to go wrong for St Cross Symondians II once former Hampshire opener Jason Laney was bowled for a sixth ball duck.
Left-armer Steve Wright (1-11 off eight overs), who regards Laney’s wicket as the biggest scalp of his still fledgling career, and Solent University’s Yannick De Mezieres (1-9 off six) called the tune as St Cross quickly fell to 13-3 and later 52-5 (Matt Swann 22).
Radley College prospect George O’Connor (24) top scored as St Cross struggled to 121-9, Mark Lavelle sending down a typically miserly 3-10 spell and Ben Perry taking two wickets.
It was never enough. Calmore’s third wicket pair Sam Moss (39) and Shaun Johnson (26) effectively made sure of that, but the hosts did lose five poles before the win was assured with five overs to spare.
