Nat-West U16 League - Fair Oak wide of the mark

Fair Oak's young bowlers conceded a staggering 87 wides on the opening night of the NatWest Bank Under-16 Indoor Development League at the Hampshire Rose Bowl.

It cost last winter's champions dear against Basingstoke & North Hants and almost wrecked their chances of beating an inexperienced Andover side.

Fair Oak fancied their chances of nailing Basingstoke after Richard Featherstone (33) had improved on a sound opening partnership between Ed White (30) and Ed Kemp (27) to post a handy 136-5.

But their efforts were wasted as Fair Oak gifted Basingstoke 54 runs in wides alone - and lost the game by two wickets with an over to spare.

Hampshire Academy all-rounder Mitchell Stokes hit 25 and then scored 26 in his team's four-wicket win over Andover.

Fair Oak were almost as profligate against Andover, who came within nine runs of overhauling a challenging 137-5.

Featherstone (35 not out) again top scored, but Ollie Williams (27) and Chris Hadfield (26) profited from some erratic bowling and took Andover's reply to 128-2.

Results:
Andover 111 (Hadfield 22, Williams 2-14)
Basingstoke & North Hants 112-2 (Stokes 26, Williams 25)

Fair Oak 137-5 (Featherstone 35)
Andover 128-2 (Williams 27, Hadfield 26)

Fair Oak 136-5 (Featherstone 33, White 30, Kemp 27)
Basingstoke & North Hants 138-2 (Stokes 25)