BASHLEY have snapped up Michael Porter after the talented teenage batsman was released by Hampshire Academy.

The 18-year-old Brockenhurst College student, who skippered the Academy in the Southern League last season, made more than 600 runs in his debut 2011 season for Bournemouth.

He had spent the past two summers on the Ageas Bowl Academy and led Hampshire under-17s to the ECB County Championship final last year.

Porter, a former Poole Grammar School pupil, also made several Minor Counties Championship appearances for Dorset this year, scoring a best 64 against Herefordshire at Dean Park.

But as captain of the Young Royals last season, he was given little opportunity to bat in his preferred opening slot and found himself in an unfamiliar middle-order position, finishing with 415 Premier League runs.

Porter’s decision to join Bashley has delighted skipper Richard Morris.

Morris said: “I am thrilled that Michael has decided to join the club. As one of the best young players in the area, naturally he had some other options.

“I am delighted that he feels Bashley is the place he would like to play. As a club, we have decided to try to strengthen using good, young, local players and Michael certainly ticks all those boxes.

“Michael perhaps hasn’t had the opportunities to bat at the top of order as much as he would have liked over the past few seasons but, hopefully, he will slot nicely into our side and give us that added depth.”