HARTLEY Wintney returned to winning ways in the Southern League Division Two, with a 81 run win at Bashley (Rydal) seconds.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat in the New Forest, and lost Tom Garwood with just two on the board.

Fellow opener Matt Kerr (56) and David Arnold (27) got them back on track, as the pair added 65 for the second wicket.

Kerr was the fourth man out with the score on 97, but his departure saw James Beckwith (40) join Will Ross (49) in the centre, and they produced a match winning stand for the fifth wicket worth 95 runs at a rate of a run a ball.

More valuable runs came from Richard Hill (13) and Rhys Batcup (29) as Hartley reached 237-9 from their 50 overs.

The home side’s reply got off to the worst possible start as Seb Waddington (2-30) and James Beckwith (2-34) reduced Bashley to 10-3.

Opener Neil Thurgood (31) and Patrick Holly (32) stopped the rot, but the Garwood (2-22) and Batcup (2-31) kept the wickets coming as the home side reached 75-5.

Neil Taylor (45) took the total up to 150, but he was then caught behind by Hill to give Ross (2-9) his first wicket.

The writing was now on the wall and Bashley were all out soon after for 156.

Next up for Hartley is a home game against Fawley.