THE end of the cricket season cannot come quickly enough for Bashley, whose 43-run defeat by Southern Premier League neighbours Lymington was their fifth in a row.

Having won the limited overs and time pennants in each of the past two seasons, Bashley had high hopes of challenging this year.

Instead, they look set to finish fourth from bottom, with their tally of nine defeats from 17 matches surpassed only by relegated New Milton.

Bashley have used a staggering 25 players this summer and the side that lost to Lymington contained only four of the team that started the season, including the evergreen Kevin Nash, who has been coaxed out of retirement, and fellow veteran Neil Thurgood.

Third-team skipper Adie Hunt was Lymington’s improbable bowling hero, taking five for 33 as Bashley were dismissed for 170, having been set 213 for nine by their hosts.

Described by one Bashley supporter as a "pub bowler", Hunt responded in style, prompting a Lymington follower to suggest he had looked more like an "upmarket wine bar bowler!"

Earlier, teenage wicketkeeper Harry Fisher, with a timely 53, and Kieran Moors, with a more brutal 46 not out, had hauled Lymington out of the mire at 110 for seven (Henry Edwards 25), the tail almost doubling their total.

Josh Procter (2-37) struck two early blows for Lymington, but another young gloveman Patrick Lewis (56) and Michael Porter (23) retrieved the situation and, at 128 for three, Bashley were in a good place.

Enter occasional 37-year old spin bowler Hunt, a Lymington clubman through and through, who proceeded to wreck Bashley’s top order by whipping out the next five batsmen, including Porter, Josh Digby and top scorer Lewis.

Bashley sank, losing their last seven batsmen for 42 runs and were 170 all out. Queenslander James Grady (2-14) taking two of the last three wickets as Lymington recorded their first league victory over their rivals for more than seven years.