Bashley (Rydal) tail-enders Brad Currie and Jake Lilley, pictured above, fought a successful 15-minute rearguard action to deny Havant an ECB Southern Premier League victory that appeared highly improbable shortly before lunch.
Havant were on the ropes at 71-6 shortly before lunch, but a remarkable afternoon session saw them recover to post 229 all out and then have Bashley fighting for survival at 157-8 at stumps, writes Mike Vimpany.
One more wicket would have won it for Havant as Bashley spin all-rounder Simon Watkins was nursing a broken left thumb in the pavilion and would not have batted.
Dorset left-arm teen pace ace Brad Currie (4-47) and Jake Lilley (3-58) did the bulk of the damage as Havant sank to a desperate 71-6 in the morning session.
Richard Hindley (45), frequently a man for a crisis, gave a hint of Havant’s recovery prowess, but it was wicketkeeper Jez Bulled who really turned the game on its head.
He cracked a quite superb 90, including 11 fours, to wrest the initiative away from the New Forest side.
Bashley were seldom at the races when it came to chasing down the total and, with Havant’s spinners employed for two-thirds of the 56-overs, run scoring was always difficult.
They dipped to a worrying 82-5 before Gavin Bailiff (40) and Josh Digby (30) put the first meaningful partnership together.
The pair took the total on to 135 before three wickets fell for 12 runs to leave the tail exposed.
But, with Havant’s close fielders hovering like vultures, Currie and Lilley kept their cool and secured Bashley a creditable draw.
Havant were on the ropes at 71-6 shortly before lunch, but a remarkable afternoon session saw them recover to post 229 all out and then have Bashley fighting for survival at 157-8 at stumps, writes Mike Vimpany.
One more wicket would have won it for Havant as Bashley spin all-rounder Simon Watkins was nursing a broken left thumb in the pavilion and would not have batted.
Dorset left-arm teen pace ace Brad Currie (4-47) and Jake Lilley (3-58) did the bulk of the damage as Havant sank to a desperate 71-6 in the morning session.
Richard Hindley (45), frequently a man for a crisis, gave a hint of Havant’s recovery prowess, but it was wicketkeeper Jez Bulled who really turned the game on its head.
He cracked a quite superb 90, including 11 fours, to wrest the initiative away from the New Forest side.
Bashley were seldom at the races when it came to chasing down the total and, with Havant’s spinners employed for two-thirds of the 56-overs, run scoring was always difficult.
They dipped to a worrying 82-5 before Gavin Bailiff (40) and Josh Digby (30) put the first meaningful partnership together.
The pair took the total on to 135 before three wickets fell for 12 runs to leave the tail exposed.
But, with Havant’s close fielders hovering like vultures, Currie and Lilley kept their cool and secured Bashley a creditable draw.
