SPL Div 2 – Bashley (Rydal) 2 (254-7) beat Fawley (188 ao) by 66 runs

Bashley opened their league season by travelling to Fawley for their local derby in Premier Div 2.  Fawley asked Bashley to bat and, after losing an early wicket, Will Tripcony joined James Turner in an entertaining stand of 66.  Turner started by dealing exclusively in boundaries whilst Tripcony rotated the strike nicely before being bowled by, the ever dangerous, Sufian Munir for 36.  Ben Francis then joined Turner and the pair took Bashley to 127 for 2 at half way.  Three quick wickets then fell starting with Turner for 57, who was stumped trying to hit Wayne Smith out of the ground.  Sam Stroud joined Francis and the pair put on 50 in quick time with superb running and the occasional boundary.  When Stroud was out Francis took over and, with sensible support from George Wilson, another 50 was added quickly to post a target of 254 with Francis being last out for 93 trying to hit the last two balls for boundaries to reach his century.  Fawley’s Trishawn Francis was the most economical of the bowlers, despite taking some late punishment from Bashley’s Ben Francis.

In reply, Fawley moved comfortably to 22 before losing both openers.  Kieran Earl caught by Charlie Anstee off Stroud and the dangerous Andy Parratt lbw to James Edmunds.  That bought Francis and Munir together and they moved the score comfortably past 50 with Munir taking the lead and looking dangerous.  After getting off the mark with a six Francis was deceived by a slow full toss from Phil Morris and caught on the boundary by Turner.  With Bashley starving Munir of the strike, and Morris bowling a miserly spell of 10 overs 2 for 17, Fawley started to fall behind the “clock” once Munir (70) was caught by Stroud off Edmunds.  They subsided to 134 for 9 before Smith struck 34 in 24 balls as Fawley were eventually bowled out for 188.