BASINGSTOKE and North Hants are finally off the mark, as they enjoyed their first victory of the season beating reigning champions St Cross by 36 runs.

The home side were put into bat and lost skipper Ben Thane with just two runs on the board.

This brought Brad Porteous to the centre and along with Dan Belcher (19) they saw off the new ball.

Belcher was the second man out bowled by Harry Foyle and then West Indian Marvin Williams (4-45) struck again to remove Jordan Hobday leaving Basingstoke on 43-3.

At this point, Porteous and Mitch Stokes (42) took the score into three figures as they put on 75 for the third wicket.

The partnership was broken just before lunch as Stokes was caught by Williams which gave Harry Came his first of two wickets.

Shortly after lunch, the home side looked in trouble at 134-7, after Brad Neal and Tom Allam both went cheaply and Porteous’ excellent knock of 66, which saw him hit eight fours and two sixes was ended.

It was left to Joe Oates (43) and David Griffiths (37) to dig them out of it, taking the score to 215, before Oates was bowled by Foyle.

The Bountymen used their maximum allocation of 64 overs in this timed match and declared on 229-9.

This left the reigning champions the task of scoring 230 in 56 overs and it did not start too well.

Prolific run scorer Came was caught and bowled by Porteous for just two and Billy Mead made one before being trapped leg before by Mitch Stokes.

After this the visitors hit back, as Felix Organ (50) and Max Curtis (50) moved the score to 91.

At this point, Tom Allam had Organ caught behind by Lawrence Benge.

However, St Cross continued to build some good partnerships and at 175-5, they looked on course for victory.

This was all to change as Griffiths returned to the attack and coming down the hill clean bowled Harry Foyle.

Then with the very next ball, he did exactly the same to Matt Haworth.

Josh Merluk fended off the hat-trick ball, but at 175-7, the game was now very much in the balance.

It soon became 185-8 as Thane took a smart catch in the slips from a Porteous ball to remove Tom Foyle (38).

Griffiths then put the Bountymen firmly in the driving seat as he bowled Josh

Merluk.

The last pair were left to try and bat out the final eight overs for a draw, but their hopes were dashed as Stokes had Williams trapped leg before as St Cross were bowled out for 193.

A delighted skipper Ben Thane said: “It is great to get our first win of the season and against the reigning champions, who are a good side.”

“Dan Belcher did well to see off the new ball and Brad Porteous top scored, but at 134-7 we looked in trouble, but thanks to Griff (David Griffiths) and Joe Oates we ended up with 229.

“I would always back us to beat any side if we score 200 and we did that today, so I am really pleased.”

Today, Basingstoke are in action in the T20 Cup with a trip to Fair Oak.