MITCH Stokes produced the best individual bowling performance of the first round with figures of 7-24 as Basingstoke and North Hants ruthlessly crushed Totton & Eling by 164 runs in the National Club Championship at Southern Gardens.

It was a career-best by the Bountymen’s new skipper, who confessed he “didn’t really want to bowl.”

“I’m still struggling from the knee injury I sustained playing football earlier this year and didn’t want to turn my arm over, but we only had two Totton wickets down half-way through their innings,” he explained.

Less than seven overs and seven Stokes wickets later Totton were all out for 113, having chased Basingstoke’s 277-9 around the field.

Left-hander Craig Williamson top scored with 88 (three sixes and 11 fours) for Basingstoke, whose total received a late boost from new signing Chris Jolley (62), who hit a 31-ball fifty.

Opener Dan Belcher another summer recruit made 36 and teenager Max Harsham 31.

Totton, unrecognisable from previous seasons and in total re-build after another player exodus, were never at the races, although they did progress to a gallant 98-3 (Toby Beresford-Power 27) before Stokes came on.

Their last seven wickets fell for 15 runs.

Basingstoke visit old adversaries Havant in round two on May 8., this is the day after their opening Southern League Division One game at home to newly relegated Sarisbury Athletic.