Dale Middleton Memorial Match

A large gathering of friends, relatives and former team-mates of the late Dale Middleton were at the Sports Ground on Sunday to watch Bashley defeat Lymington by 24 runs in the second annual match to be played in Dale's memory.

The decision of home skipper Martin Hunt to invite Bashley to bat seemed to be paying off early on as little brother Adrian grabbed the wickets of Thurgood, Pardey and Nolan to leave the visitors on 50 for 4. Simon Dean and Neil Sexton redressed the balance somewhat with a stand of 78 before Dean succumbed to the cunning dibley-dobbers of Mark Jackson for a well-crafted 59. A brilliant catch in the deep from Simon King off Gossip then accounted for Sexton for 38, but any Lymington hopes of a sub-200 target were dashed by the dextrous pairing of Shaun Lilley (38) and Neil Taylor (30 no) whose meaty blows took the Bashley total up to 213 for 7 at tea.

Lymington received the perfect start to their innings courtesy of a 110 run opening partnership between King and Jackson. Neil Sexton's introduction proved to be the turning point as it was the stocky paceman who dismissed King for a fine 65. Jerry Holt briefly continued King's good work, but once he fell to Taylor for 20, the Lymington innings simply fell apart in an all-too familiar fashion. Seven wickets tumbled for just 33 runs as the home side forlornly attempted to keep up with the run rate. Jackson's mammoth innings was finally ended by young Jake Lilley who had the veteran left hander stumped for 76 in the penultimate over. Lymington eventually huffed and puffed their way to 189 for 8 at the close giving their local rivals a deserved 24 run victory.

Following the match Dale's mum Sue presented the players, umpires and scorers with medals as a memento of the day.

Earlier in the morning Lymington Under 15s narrowly defeated their Bashley counterparts in a 20 overs a side game.

Three wicket hero Adie Hunt bowls to Neil Sexton

The Sports Ground bathed in glorious sunshine

Jacko tries to out-fox to Shaun Lilley

13 year old Jake Lilley bowls to Simon King

Lymington and Bashley Under 15s

Jacko on his way to 76

Skipper Marty Hunt attempts to up the run rate

Neill Denby - just like the old days

Goss bamboozles another Bashley batsman!

Bashley's Ross Grierson gathers the ball

Another crashing drive from Kinger

It went that way!

Sway's finest bowls to Neil Taylor

Tom Thorp keeping up the family tradition

TP