Bashley (Rydal) welcomed previously unbeaten South Wilts to the BCG and with rain threatening the visiting captain, James Hayward, opted to bat first with Australia’s U’19 captain. Jake Winter, partnering Eddie Abel facing the opening bowling attack of Andy Neal and Kevin Nash. With the score on 14 it was Nash who struck first by bowling Winter for 13 and twelve runs later Nash (2-38) then trapped J. Mynott lbw for 4, Andy Neal took two wickets in quick succession to remove Abel (15) who was caught by Josh Digby at square leg and the next ball J. Cranch was adjudged lbw for a duck and the total was 38-4. With the seamers having done their job the spin trio of Thomson, Watkins and Digby came into the game and it was James Hayward, who had batted patiently for 20 when he was trapped in front of his wicket by Thomson (1-44) to become the spinners first victim and the score was 60-5. James Hibberd with William Wade then steadied the ship by having a partnership of 40 until Wade (21), chasing a wide Watkins delivery edged a catch to slip where A. Neal took a superb right handed catch, Hibberd featured in another 40 run partnership, this time with Rob Franklin to take the score onto 140 when Franklin (22) became Simon Watkins second wicket thanks to a catch by Tom Jacques. The Bashley team were now buzzing as one run later Josh Digby had a caught and bowled to dismiss S. Pitman for a duck and then Watkins, who finished with figures of 3-23, also had a caught and bowled to dismiss Hibberd for a fine 49. Digby (2-16) then took the last wicket of the South Wilts innings with another lbw decision to close the innings on 156 in the 54th over.
Jake Winter   South Wilts Australian U’19 captain bowled by Kevin Nash
Simon Watkins   Bashley’s best bowler taking 3-23
Although chasing a modest target the Bashley batsmen knew they were going to have to work hard to pass the required total and so it proved as Tom Gates (12) and Tom Jacques (4) were both bowled by James Hibberd (2-20) and the score was 18-2 but with Simon Ridley and Michael Porter being watchful against the still new ball they patiently built the innings until Ridley was dismissed on the stroke of tea when he was caught by wicketkeeper S. Pitman off the bowling of l. Evans for 16 and the score was 50-3. A 92 run partnership then ensued between Porter and Gavin Bailiff as they ran quick singles and punished any loose delivery with Bailiiff being dismissed for 49 when he was caught off the bowling of S. Warner. Chris Ridley (2 n.o.) and Michael Porter with a superb 70 n.o. then saw Bashley safely home in the 48th over to win by 6 wickets to move them up to be top of the table.
Gavin Bailiff   Bashley who scored 49
Michael Porter   Bashley captain who scored 70 n.o.
