SIMON Ridley hit an unbeaten 84 as Bashley opened |their account with a five-wicket win at Alton in Division One.

Ridley shared 127 with Neil Thurgood (65) for the first wicket as Bashley passed Alton’s 209 for six with four balls to spare.

• An unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 117 between Matt Metcalfe (65) and Nick Evans (44) failed to save Bournemouth from a seven-wicket defeat against St Cross.

St Cross eclipsed Bournemouth’s 215 for nine thanks largely to Charlie Esson (72).

• Matt Freeman (87) was the only New Milton batsman to offer any resistance in their 142-run defeat by Sarisbury Athletic in Division Two.