Bashley 211 beat Hampshire Academy 163 by 48 runs

SAM Thomson's seven-wicket haul reduced Hampshire Academy's batting to rubble and propelled Bashley (Rydal) to the top of the ECB British Gas Southern Premier League (SPL) table.

The county youngsters were moving along serenely on 80 for two, in pursuit of 212 for victory, when Thomson (7-54) intervened to trigger a collapse that saw Hampshire fold to 163 all out.

Pat Page had been the bedrock of the visitors' batting, the excellent South Australian left-hander smashing nine fours and two sixes in a run-a-ball 67.

Page's dismissal – trapped in front by Zac Organ (3-40) – precipitated a slump from 118 for two to 147 for seven, with Organ also claiming the prize scalp of skipper Michael Porter for 15.

Chris Ridley (27) and number 9 Simon Watkins, who struck a counter-attacking 36, joined in a 53-run stand to repair the damage, as Bashley scrambled their way to 211 all out.

That total initially looked unfit for purpose, particularly with Felix Organ stroking a fluid 92.

But Thomson came to the fore and showed exactly why Porter had admitted prior to Saturday's clash that he was thrilled to have the 26-year-old back in his ranks.

The off-spinner – rated by his captain as the team's "best bowler in recent years" – returned career best SPL figures of 7-54, as Bash won by 48 runs to leapfrog Lymington at the Premier Division summit.

Lymington  fought a successful rearguard action against 50 overs of Havant spin to force a draw – but the result cost them the ECB British Gas Southern League leadership at the season’s midway point.

They held on at 154-7 in response to Havant’s challenging 217, having been 82-1 at one stage.

Zimbabwean left-hander Malcolm Lake (28), playing his last game for six weeks, gave the Lymington innings a typically forceful start with big six over mid-wicket and four boundaries.

But, with Lymington 38-0 in the fifth over, Lake departed to an outstanding catch in the deep by Steve Matthews.

Dom Hand, with a patient 44, and Richard Lock (28) eased Lymington to 82, but forcing the pace against Havant’s four-pronged spin attack was always difficult.

Any realistic prospect Lymington had of chasing down the Havant total effectively disappeared once Brad Taylor (3-36) trapped his Hampshire 2nd XI teammate Calvin Dickinson leg before.

Havant rotated their bowlers, but Lymington held out fairly comfortably at 154-7 off 58 overs.

Earlier, Lake (5-54) had Havant rocking at 14-3, leaving Chris Stone (47) and Richard Hindley (46) to steady the ship.

Jez Bulled (38) and Andy Gorvin (33) steered Havant to 217, Matt Metcalfe finishing with 3-50.