HARTLEY Wintney will hope to chalk up their first win of the season, as they entertain Bashley II in the Southern League Division Two basement battle.

The village side’s captain Danny Plume believes a win is not far away for his side, who put up a good show at Paultons which included a century from Scott Baldwin.

However, it was all in vain as their total of 243-8 was overhauled, by the home side thanks to an match winning unbeaten 140 seventh wicket partnership, after they had been 104-6.

Plume said: “Everyone was really buzzing after we batted first and Scott (Baldwin) scored a ton. We took this onto the field when we bowled and had them 104-6, but then we let the win slip away.

“Maybe it was due to my game management as I am new to being a captain, but I have learned from this and really think we are on the brink of winning, as everything is starting to click.”

For this week’s visit of Bashley, brothers Seb and Ollie Waddington will both be missing, but Jack Hersh and Patrick Joseph will come into the line-up.

In Saturday’s loss at Paultons, Baldwin hit an excellent 111 from 95 balls, which included nine fours and seven sixes, as the visitors posted a score of 243-8.

This was after they recovered well after being 38-3, as Baldwin shared a number of half century stands with Chris Saville (11) and Will Ross (26).

Then he added 61 for the seven wicket with James Beckwith who finished unbeaten on 40 from 21 balls, which saw him hit a couple of sixes.

Paultons in reply were soon in trouble as they slumped to 30-3, after Saville took 3-54. Further wickets from Louis Lynch (1-24) and Seb Waddington (2-41) left the home side with plenty to do at 104-6, but they made it home without losing another wicket.