RICHARD Morris’s stylish knock guided Bashley to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Premier Division newcomers Sarisbury Athletic yesterday.

Morris came to the wicket with Bashley in a spot of bother at 28 for two and cracked an unbeaten 82 as they coasted home with relative ease.

Earlier, spinners Tom Andrews (4-61) and Sam Thomson (3-61) had weaved their magic to reduce Sarisbury to 104 for eight before a rain break checked Bashley’s momentum.

And following a delay, David Banks (38) and Dan Goldstraw (27) shared an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 65 as the visitors to the BCG rallied to close on 169 for eight.

Nick Baker and Luke Webb both fell cheaply as the Bashley reply started unconvincingly, while Michael Porter escaped after Kieran Gayle had spilled a dolly catch in the slips.

Morris punished anything short of a length and put the Sarisbury attack to the sword by regularly peppering the boundary with some brutal hitting.

He shared 90 for the third wicket with Porter (41) before both he and Andrews (26) remained undefeated as Bashley cosily reached 172 for three.