ROWLEDGE slipped back into the bottom two of the Southern Premier League Division One after coming up 39 runs short when chasing Hook & Newnham Basics’ 244 at a baking Recreation Ground.

Unsurprisingly asked to field first, Rowledge stuck manfully to their task. Matt Love and Josh Buckingham gave Basics an excellent start with 71 for the first wicket before Joe Randall had Love snaffled by Chris Yates at midwicket.

Buckingham played freely and the score advanced rapidly on the quicksilver outfield until, at 114-1, Steve Martin removed Buckingham and the dangerous Jordan Hobday with consecutive balls, both lbw, and then, with 13 runs added, bowled Jack Robson to get Rowledge right back in the contest.

Hook then lost wickets regularly. First-team debutant Max Martin caught Matt Buckingham off Jake Wish and David Lloyd took a return catch from Liam Doran and then had Rhodes Franklin stumped by Ben Wish.

However, Nick Wilcock held the innings together with a brisk 38 and the tailenders scored useful runs. Max Martin bowled tidily at the end, picking up a wicket, and Hook were all out in the last over.

Nick Morant launched the reply with a flurry of boundaries, only to be halted abruptly by an upraised finger, and when Tom Gleave was caught smartly at slip on the drive, Rowledge were 31-2.

Tom Treble calmly manipulated the ball around the ground against the four-man spin attack and Lloyd batted positively in a promising stand of 64 that ended when the latter was stumped off a wide.

Ian Metcalfe quickly followed, but Jake Wish joined Treble in an energetic left-handed stand that added 58 in eight overs.

At 155-4, Wish was caught off a full-toss and the innings went into decline. Young Rhodes Franklin removed Steve Martin and Randall and then Treble, having reached 104 off 114 balls, was caught on the boundary off the returning Hobday.

With their potential match-winner gone, it was all over for Rowledge who were dismissed for 205 with six overs remaining.

A more solid batting effort by Rowledge, but they be disappointed to lose having got in a position to win.

This Saturday, Rowledge travel to leaders Calmore Sports. On Sunday, they host East Sussex club Mayfield in the last 32 of the Watsons Village Cup.