AN EMOTIONAL day for Hook and Newnham Basics saw them open their Southern League Division One campaign with four wickets.

Before the match a minute’s silence was held for the recently departed Kevin Poulter.

KP as he was known, played for the club for over 25 years, having been a member of the Basics side when it merged with Hook and Newnham in 1993.

His former team mates did him proud and soon had visiting newly promoted OTs and Romsey in trouble.

Ben Peart (4-24) had a great return to the side, taking two wickets in his first over, as he had Stuart Tognarelli and Charlie King both dismissed for ducks.

Josh Buckingham caught King for the first of three catches behind the stumps.

Despite the efforts of opener Steve Smith, who finished as the top scorer in the match with 47, the visitors kept losing wickets.

After 20 overs, they had struggled to 59-4.

Spinner Anik Divecha (2-27) kept the pressure on, as Romsey were soon 60-6, as Joseph Vaughan and Peter Newman both failed to score.

Smith’s innings finally came to an end, thanks to a smart caught and bowled from Rupert Armstrong.

The job was finished off by Peart and Shane Brewer, with a very tidy spell of 1-19, as the visitors were all out for 124.

The home reply got off to a steady start, but Jack Folkstone (3-31) removed both openers Jack Robson (14) and Josh Buckingham (16), as well as the returning Ross Hunter (2).

Captain Matt Love (33) and Matt Buckingham (36) set about building the platform for victory as they added 51 for the fourth wicket.

Love was then stumped off the bowling of Vaughan and Richard Willcock then departed without any addition to the score.

However, Buckingham and Rhodes Franklin (18) moved the score to 114, before Buckingham was the last man out.

Franklin completed the victory with three boundaries, as Hook won with 17 overs to spare.

Captain Matt Love said: “This win was for KP, it was an emotional game and it felt strange walking out on the field for the first time in 15 years without him.

“Benny (Peart) got a four-fer in what was a good bowling and fielding display. Then Matt Buck (Buckingham) and myself built a good partnership and both of us were frustrated not to be there at the end. I think this is the first time in four years we have won on the opening day of the season.”

Next weekend, Hook are on their travels to Liphook.