BASINGSTOKE and North Hants and neighbours Hook & Newnham Basics are toasting a double whammy of victories at the start of the new Southern Electric Premier League, Division 1 season.
They have both won their opening two matches – Basingstoke scraping a nail biting one-wicket win at Liphook and Ripley
Liphook were looking good at 70-1 (Rob Nicklin 39), but lost nine wickets for 43 runs and were all out for 113 – Mitchell Stokes taking 6-10 and Graham Porter 3-43 – the Bountymen lost nine wickets getting the runs !
They were in a pickle at 83-8, but tail-end trio Laurence Benge (16), Ryan Connor and Dave Pistorius (5) got them across the line.
Teenager Kieran Thomson underlined his Hampshire Under-17 selection prospects with a match winning 68 for Hook & Newnham Basics, who doubled their win tally with a five-wicket victory over visiting Rowledge.
Eight batsmen were out either bowled or trapped leg before as Rowledge were dismissed for 148 (Ian Metcalfe 46) – Ben Thane (4-22) taking out the tail – leaving Thomson (68) to underpin the Basics run chase.
Also celebrating a two-out-of-two are New Milton, who bowled Hartley Wintney out for 157 (Chris Jolley 47) before overcoming a wobble and winning by five wickets.
Their reply had reached an uncertain 47 when James Haggaty (39), Ben Lawes (33) and Toby Edwards, with a decisive 40 not out, calmed nerves and won the game.
Calmore Sports and Totton & Eling are off the mark after notable victories.
Newly promoted Calmore overcame a nervy batting performance to beat Bournemouth, while Totton pulled off an eyebrow raising win against Andover.
Calmore’s bowlers played the lead role, reducing Bournemouth to 63-6 at Loperwood Park, chunky left-armer Steve Wright taking 2-17.
Mike Kitson (28), Martin Miller (21) and Alan Woodward (21) made useful contributions to raise the Bournemouth score to 150.
Calmore looked in for a comfortable stroll when their reply reached 59-1 (Darren Vann 24), but spin pair Gurprett Singh (3-29) and Kiwi Josh Finnie (2-26) broke through to put the game in the balance.
Ben Perry (21) and James Rose (17) calmed nerves to get Calmore across the line.
Andover lost both their openers without a run on the board at Southern Gardens, where the visitors were again indebted to Dave Taylor (40) for their eventual 154 all out.
James Taylor (3-28) and Andrew Fletcher (4-28) did the damage for Totton – the New Zealander then scoring 32 of the Eels’ first 41 to get the reply off to a brisk start.
Totton lost six wickets before the target was reached, Josh Metcalfe (22) and skipper Richard Dibden (13) sharing the key stand which won the match.
They have both won their opening two matches – Basingstoke scraping a nail biting one-wicket win at Liphook and Ripley
Liphook were looking good at 70-1 (Rob Nicklin 39), but lost nine wickets for 43 runs and were all out for 113 – Mitchell Stokes taking 6-10 and Graham Porter 3-43 – the Bountymen lost nine wickets getting the runs !
They were in a pickle at 83-8, but tail-end trio Laurence Benge (16), Ryan Connor and Dave Pistorius (5) got them across the line.
Teenager Kieran Thomson underlined his Hampshire Under-17 selection prospects with a match winning 68 for Hook & Newnham Basics, who doubled their win tally with a five-wicket victory over visiting Rowledge.
Eight batsmen were out either bowled or trapped leg before as Rowledge were dismissed for 148 (Ian Metcalfe 46) – Ben Thane (4-22) taking out the tail – leaving Thomson (68) to underpin the Basics run chase.
Also celebrating a two-out-of-two are New Milton, who bowled Hartley Wintney out for 157 (Chris Jolley 47) before overcoming a wobble and winning by five wickets.
Their reply had reached an uncertain 47 when James Haggaty (39), Ben Lawes (33) and Toby Edwards, with a decisive 40 not out, calmed nerves and won the game.
Calmore Sports and Totton & Eling are off the mark after notable victories.
Newly promoted Calmore overcame a nervy batting performance to beat Bournemouth, while Totton pulled off an eyebrow raising win against Andover.
Calmore’s bowlers played the lead role, reducing Bournemouth to 63-6 at Loperwood Park, chunky left-armer Steve Wright taking 2-17.
Mike Kitson (28), Martin Miller (21) and Alan Woodward (21) made useful contributions to raise the Bournemouth score to 150.
Calmore looked in for a comfortable stroll when their reply reached 59-1 (Darren Vann 24), but spin pair Gurprett Singh (3-29) and Kiwi Josh Finnie (2-26) broke through to put the game in the balance.
Ben Perry (21) and James Rose (17) calmed nerves to get Calmore across the line.
Andover lost both their openers without a run on the board at Southern Gardens, where the visitors were again indebted to Dave Taylor (40) for their eventual 154 all out.
James Taylor (3-28) and Andrew Fletcher (4-28) did the damage for Totton – the New Zealander then scoring 32 of the Eels’ first 41 to get the reply off to a brisk start.
Totton lost six wickets before the target was reached, Josh Metcalfe (22) and skipper Richard Dibden (13) sharing the key stand which won the match.
