BASHLEY’S crushing eight-wicket defeat at Ventnor saw the only unbeaten record in the Premier Division bite the dust – after just four rounds of fixtures.

A second-wicket stand of 201 between Travis Head and Ollie Mills saw the Islanders chase down Bashley’s 241 for seven with 17 balls to spare.

The day had started promisingly for Bashley with Zimbabwean Brandon Gilmour (43) and Neil Thurgood (41) sharing 93 for the first wicket.

Ryan Higgins (33) then helped steer Bashley to 140 for two before a flurry of quick wickets saw them wobbling at 147 for five.

Simon Watkins (51) and Simon Ridley put on 56 for the sixth wicket as Bashley recovered to 203 for six before Andy Neal (20) added some late runs.

Although Neal saw off James Cheek in the first over of their reply, Ventnor rallied with Head (142*) and Mills (84) laying the foundations for victory.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s dismal start to the season continued following a 62-run defeat at Hampshire Academy, their fourth reverse in succession.

Dorset’s Lewis McManus (75) and Tom Alsop (63*) were the mainstays as the young Royals posted 240 for four on the Rose Bowl Nursery Ground (Anschuman Singh 2-41).

Although Alex Allum (47), Cur-tis Watton (29) and Martin Miller (22) chipped in, Bournemouth fell well short at 178 for nine.