Basingstoke Triumph in County Under 17 Club Final

Basingstoke, missing three regulars, surprised even themselves with a 6-wicket Kerry Cup win on the The Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground. 

Joe Oates (62) top-scored as the north Hampshire club overhauled the 122-7 set by 2013 and 2014 winners OTs and Romsey.

Keeper Lucas Freer (20) kept Oates company and despite three wickets from Nico Newman, county under 13 George Metzger was unbeaten as victory came with nine balls to spare.

Elliot Mitchell-Lee (66) was the mainstay of the Romsey team’s innings after Jake Fincken claimed the prize scalp of Harry Tulk.

Ashley Neal’s 3 for 20 applied the brakes mid-innings and it was left to England under 19 Katie George (22) to help Mitchell-Lee build a competitive total.

Competition organiser Malcolm Kerry presented the trophy to winning captain Harry Smith and encouraged players to continue playing in the ECB’s Under 19 T20 competition and for their clubs’ adult sides