LUCKLESS Lymington ace Ed Ellis hit a century against Bashley for the second season in succession – but again ended up on the losing team.

Ellis was upstaged by Bashley’s Australian import Patrick Page whose classy ton guided them to a comfortable six-wicket victory at the Sports Ground.

Teenager Page, one of the country’s most exciting youth products, made Lymington pay for an abject display in the field as Bashley continued to hold the Indian sign over their neighbours.

Dropped by Matt Metcalfe on 40, the 19-year-old went on to compile a match-defining 115, his 107-ball stay including no fewer than nine fours and five towering sixes.

Earlier, Bashley had ripped through the Lymington top order, with Ryan Scott, Richie Lock and Calvin Dickinson back in the Portakabin with the scoreboard showing a paltry seven.

However, after Ellis had joined Terry Crabb (40) at the crease, the pair shared 76 for the fourth wicket to steady the ship. And the recovery continued as Ellis (106) – who hit 12 fours – and Dom Hand (45) helped Lymington post a challenging 240 for eight.

Josh Digby (3-54) claimed the scalp of Ellis when he had him caught on the line by Sam Thomson, while Mitch Wilson (2-21), Simon Ridley (2-40) and Simon Watkins (1-54) were also among the wickets for Bashley.

Although Tom Gates fell cheaply, a mix of excellent shot-making and charitable fielding and bowling allowed Page (115) and Digby (39) to put on 126 for the second wicket.

Lymington scented a whiff of victory after Page, Digby and Michael Porter had gone to leave Bashley on 188 for four.

But an unbroken stand of 53 between Chris Vaughan (24) and Chris Ridley (23) ensured Bashley would maintain an unbeaten record against Lymington in the Southern Premier League which stretches back to July 2011.

  • New Milton's winning start to the campaign came to an end when they suffered a 41-run defeat at the hands of champions Havant.

Skipper Ryan Beck (3-17) returned an economical 10-over spell as New Milton restricted Havant to 172 for nine.

He received support from Matt Freeman (2-28), Lee Beck (1-22), Nick Gargaro (1-25) and Ollie Shrubsole (1-31) as the visitors' decision to field first appeared to have paid off.

And Milton were handily placed at 53 for one thanks to Dave Wakefield (31) and Toby Edwards (26).

But once they had become the first of Chris Morgan's four victims, only Shrubsole (21) and Freeman (20) offered any further resistance as they were dismissed for 131.