Match report: Bashley (Rydal) CC (292-5) move up to second in the Southern Premier Cricket League (SPCL) Premier Division table after beating Hampshire Academy CC (255)
Bashley (Rydal) CC put last weekend’s opening day defeat behind them with a high-scoring victory over a very strong Hampshire Academy side.
Playing away from home, Bashley won the toss and chose to bat first. A decision that, after an early wicket loss, proved to be a wise one.
Will Tripcony (11 runs off 13 balls) was the early casualty, losing his wicket while trying to score off Oliver Cordery (1-59).
However, Bashley batsmen Ethan Baker (71) and Jack Stearman (65) took the side from 17-1 to 136-2 in a highly impressive 119-run partnership that frustrated the Hampshire Academy bowlers.
Eventually, Stearman was stumped off the bowling of former Bashley (Rydal) player Finn Gordon (1-18), who was named ECB Southern Premier League and Dorset Young Cricketer of the Year in December 2024.
Far from slowing down the Bashley scoring, fourth in line, Jacob Gordon came to the crease. The elder brother of Hampshire Academy’s Finn, bludgeoned 98 runs off 67 balls in an undefeated stand that put his side in a commanding position.
Louis Clayton chipped in with a valuable 23 runs, with the New Forest side seeing out their 50 overs with figures of 292-5.
After an early capture of Academy captain Sam Ashman (4) thanks to a Stearman catch off Clayton (1-16), the hosts made a strong attempt at overcoming the total.
Finn Gordon (64) and top-scorer Joseph Eckland (68) led the charge, but timely wickets from Dan Goodey (3-49) and Jacob Stevenson (2-40), who also grabbed a run-out, were invaluable.
Eddie Jack (28) was a stubborn thorn in the Bashley bowlers’ side. He made his way through four partners before falling as the final man, with his side 37 runs shy of the target.
Friedman took two catches, while the other wicket came from Jacob Gordon (1-5), George Wilson (1-40), and Louis Prichard (1-25).
The win lifted Bashley to third in the table. Next Saturday, Bashley (Rydal) plays at home against South Wilts, who have lost both games so far, in a limited 50-over game with a 12.30pm start.
