BASHLEY skipper Michael Porter paid tribute to "nasty" Tom Barber after the left-arm paceman had reduced Andover's batting to rubble in Saturday's Southern Premier League contest.

Barber, who recently signed a professional deal with county champions Middlesex, laid waste to the hosts' top order on his way to figures of four for 33, with Andover only able to set title-chasing Bash 107 for victory.

And after the early loss of opening pair Tom Gates and Josh Digby, Porter (34*) and Australian Pat Page (47*) bludgeoned their team to an eight-wicket triumph inside 16 overs.

Porter told the Daily Echo: "Tom really leads our attack, probably mentally more than anything.

"You hear the opposition talking about him, saying how quick and nasty he is. Barbs is a typical, nasty, left-arm fast bowler. He's not shy of sending down a short ball and he's hit a few good top-order players this year.

"It's only natural that batsmen are reluctant to face him. And we have Kevin Nash picking up wickets at the other end so it's a good combination for us."

Page and Porter had to ride their luck – and see off a hostile spell from Sri Lankan Chamika Karunaratne – before completing the win that kept Bashley breathing down Lymington's necks at the top of the Premier Division.

"Karunaratne came at us quick and hard and we were under the pump a little bit," said Porter. "Pat was caught off a no-ball and I was dropped so we had a bit of luck. But, after that, we guided the team home nicely.

"We just have to keep winning our games and stay as close to Lymington as we can."