Trojans’ bid to avoid relegation from the Southern Electric Premier League really is gaining momentum – as deposed Division 3 leaders Basingstoke & North Hants will testify!
Three weeks ago and after seven straight defeats, they were odds-on for the drop into the Hampshire League.
Survival prospects were boosted with back-to-back wins over Bashley (Rydal) and Alton seconds.
Now Trojans have thumped Basingstoke & North Hants II – the overnight leaders – by ten wickets and Stoneham Lane is a buzzing.
They bowled Basingstoke out for 178 – and romped home, with Ed Boyd cracking an unbeaten 101 and Simon Williams 69 not out.
Basingstoke seemed to be well placed at 66-1 (Richard Vinn 43), but collapsed with Jai Solanki (3-48) taking three wickets in one over.
Perera (35) and Chris Chandler (28) hit back as Basingstoke rallied from 91-7, but Syed Mahmood (5-28) returned to the attack to complete his maiden five-wicket return for Trojans.
Boyd and Williams carried on the good work – Boyd completing his century with the victory-making run, and Williams, back from a two-month sabbatical, making an unbeaten 69.
Trojans remain bottom, but are only one point adrift of Portsmouth & Southsea.
South Wilts were similarly convincing winners – Joe Cranch underlining his claims for a first team recall with an unbeaten 78 as Fair Oak were crushed by nine wickets on a below par Laptstone Park surface.
Fair Oak won the toss and found themselves in total disarray at 16-4 after new ball spells by Dominic Webb (3-28) and Robbie Shaw (2-21).
Matt Burrell (20) and Richard Featherstone (27) provided some middle-order stability by raising the score from 30-5 to 82-6.
The Oaks lower order lifted the final total to 130 – but it was no where near enough to halt South Wilts in their tracks.
Teenager William Wade (30) and Cranch started with a stand of 91 – Cranch going on to complete the victory with his 78.
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