BURRIDGE were bowled off the ECB Southern Premier League summit after suffering a seven-wicket defeat at May’s Bounty by Basingstoke & North Hants, who moved up to second place in the process.

The previously unbeaten overnight leaders were effectively beaten before lunch, with Basingstoke’s seamers having Burridge eight down at the meal break, Mitchell Stokes having won an important toss.

They were eventually dismissed for 112 – a total Basingstoke breezed past inside 29 overs, writes Mike Vimpany.

Basingstoke’s bowlers undoubtedly enjoyed the best of the conditions, but Burridge’s batting was generally loose, with onetime Hampshire all-rounder Lee Savident’s dismissal to a sloppy, half-hit leg-side shot setting the pattern.

Opening partner Azimunnoor Chowdhury soon followed him back to the pavilion after an outstanding one-handed diving catch by Brad Neal.

Joe Collings-Wells (16) improved things, but three wickets fell on 35, including the key scalp of left-hander Richard Lock, with Martyn James (3-22) and David Griffiths (2-22) doing the damage.

South African Hilio De Abreu (23) and Dan Stancliffe (16) steadied the ship, before the tall all-rounder appeared to get an unlucky leg-side catch verdict in favour of Laurence Benge off Stokes (2-24).

Cape Town all-rounder De Abreu’s running between the wickets looked suspect and it was no surprise when he departed to a superb throw by Ben Thane.

Burridge finally got themselves into three figures through Sully White (14 no) and Nick McMurray (14), before being bowled out for 112.

To stand any chance of winning, Burridge needed early wickets and White gave them hope as he removed opener Dan Belcher with eight on the board. Thane (27) and Stokes (39) got the scoreboard moving, before they were parted.

But Burridge bowled far too short, enabling former South Africa U19 captain Sibonelo Makhanya (24 no) to guide them to an easy win.