BASINGSTOKE and North Hants seconds remain top of the Southern League Division Two, evenif they lost at Rowledge on Sarturday.

The Bountymen’s skipper Chris Chandler won the toss and decided to bowl and they got off to a good start with opener Nick Morant being caught with only 25 scored.

At 62-3 the game was in the balance, but Sam Plater (42) and David Lloyd (65), set about building the platform for victory.

The pair pushed the score past 100 and then Lloyd and Ollie Baker (13) added 70 for the fifth wicket.

Baker and Lloyd were both then out in the space of five runs, but some excellent late hitting from unbeaten pair William Ryman (19) and Joe Randall (25) took the score to 225-6.

Basingstoke’s reply started well despite losing Scott Dyer for 18.

Chris Froud (20) and top scorer Max Harsham (27) made it 67-1, before the wickets started to fall.

Soon the visitors were 100-5 and with only Matt Deadman (15) and Greg Donaldson (11) able to make it into double figures, they were bowled out for 144 and the home side won by 83 runs.

The seconds will hope to bounce back to winning ways, when they entertain lowly Totton and Eling this coming Saturday.