WILL Gardner celebrated his first-ever five wicket haul for the Hook and Newnham Basics first team, as the Southern League Division One leaders made it five wins out of five.

Sparsholt were the latest side to be put to the sword by Hook, as the visitors were beaten by six wickets.

Having decided to bat, Sparsholt lost opener Michael Haworth three balls into the innings, without a run being scored caught by Matt Buckingham off the bowling of Martyn James (2-27).

Fellow opener Jeremy Frith faired a lot better as he top scored with 72, but he was one of five victims of Gardner, who finished with super figures of 9.5-1-30-5.

Liam Shore (2-21) and Rhodes Franklin (1-20) took the other wickets as Sparsholt were bowled out for 179.

Behind the stumps, Josh Buckingham helped himself to two catches and a stumping.

The home side’s reply looked in trouble at 6-2 with both Kieran Thomson and Harry Warner back in the pavilion.

At this point, Harry Robson and Matt Buckingham took up the mantle and added 79 for the third wicket.

Buckingham being the third man out for 38, his innings seeing him hit one four and two sixes.

His departure brought his brother Josh Buckingham to the centre and along with Robson they enjoyed another 79-run partnership

Josh Buckingham making 45, which came off 38 balls and he found the boundary rope six times and cleared it once.

It was left to opener Robson (63) which included eight four and Franklin (9) to see Hook home with 11 overs to spare.

Today, Hook start the defence of their T20 Cup with a trip to Burridge.