SOUTH Wilts’ leadership of the ECB Southern Premier League lasted just seven days.

A six-wicket defeat by Bashley (Rydal) saw them toppled from the summit and beaten for the first time in a league match since July 2015.

Bashley dispossessed the four-time champions at the top when they bowled South Wilts out for 156 and knocked off the runs, with new captain Michael Porter leading the way with an unbeaten 70.

It was the first time since the Luke Rochi era of the early 2000’s that Bashley had beaten South Wilts – and how ironic the Black Caps T20 star, who spent three of his formative seasons as a teenager at the club, should be at the BCG to watch them do it.

It’s not a result skipper James Hayward wants to dwell on – instead he’s looking ahead to New Milton’s visit to Bemerton on Saturday (11.30am) and the chance for South Wilts to reboot their season.

“We didn't do ourselves justice at Bashley and never really came to the party,” he said.

“It happens in sport and I've no doubt we will bounce back strongly against New Milton.

“It's not something we'll dwell on as a team - we need to learn from it and move on.

“It's our first loss this season and it's hard to take - but it's not the end of the world.

“I know we’re off the top, but we certainly won't be looking at any league tables yet; it's not something we've ever done at this stage.”

Bashley got an unexpected first use of the new ball – Hayward soon rueing his decision to bat as South Wilts slumped to 38-4.

Experienced duo Kevin Nash (2-38) and left-armer Andy Neal (2-24) exploited the damp, bowler friendly conditions at the BCG.

Nash, fresh from his six-wicket haul against Ventnor the previous week, bowled South Australia prospect Jake Winter (13) and trapped Jack Mynott (4) in quick succession.

Making his first appearance of the season, Eddie Abel (15) rode his luck, being dropped off the first ball of the game and then giving Bashley several more chances before Josh Digby gobbled up a good catch.

When Neal trapped Joe Cranch leg before with his very next ball, South Wilts really were in trouble at 38-4 and limped into lunch facing their first defeat of the season against an upbeat Bashley side smelling a prize scalp.

Teenager William Wade (21) and Hayward (20) ground out another 22 runs before the captain played across a straight delivery from Sam Thomson, who was bursting with confidence after his 11-wicket haul from Dorset’s Minor Counties Championship win over Cheshire.

It was left to James Hibberd to steady the South Wilts ship after that.

The all-rounder added 40, initially with Wade, then another 40 with Rob Franklin (22) to lift flagging South Wilts' spirits and the total to 140-6.

But, unlike in recent games with Havant and Burridge, there was no escape route for the visitors as Simon Watkins (3-23) dismissed all three batsmen before Digby (2-16) concluded the innings at 156.

South Wilts did indeed get early wickets – Hibberd (2-20) accounting for Tom Gates (5) with a ‘jaffa’ of a delivery and then bowling Dorset’s Tom Jacques (4).

Simon Ridley (16) steadied things, but it was the partnership between Porter and Gavin Bailiff which ended any threat of South Wilts pulling off another Houdini win.

Porter, who is relishing the extra responsibility captaincy duties bring, looks a far more compact and confident player and the crease and he hit nine fours in a 115-ball unbroken stay at the crease which won the game for Bashley.

The West Australia-based Bailiff, back with the club where he cut his teeth as a teenager, was always looking to play aggressive shots and, with more than a glancing eye at the threatening rain bearing clouds skirting the ground, struck a positive 49.

Bashley did suffer the inconvenience of one rain stop, but the sun broke through as Porter hit his ninth four through extra-cover to clinch a thoroughly deserved victory.