ROWLEDGE continued their slide towards the wrong end of the Southern Premier League Division One table after another batting failure.

Sam Moseley held them together with 75 not out after the top order had crumbled, but a total of 151 never looked enough against a strong Hook & Newnham Basics outfit.

Ben Wish elected to bat on a good-looking surface at the King George V Playing Field, but the visitors were soon in dire trouble at 35-6.

Shane Brewer drew Sushant Balajee into a false shot, Jordan Hobday did the same to Tom Gleave and then Joe Randall was caught at point playing a loose drive off Kieran Thomson.

The experienced pair of Ian Metcalfe and David Lloyd followed the trend of being caught in the slip cordon and then Chris Board became the third batsman to depart without troubling the scorers.

While Rowledge were giving chances, Hook’s slip catching was outstanding.

Moseley, making his first 1st XI appearance of the season, and Jamie Teale at last halted the slide and, although watchful, also played positively as they tried to repair the damage.

The metronomic Kevin Poulter gave very little away and the pair did well to add 56 before Ben Thane removed Teale for 30.

Jake Wish and Richard Forbes quickly followed, both dismissed by Richard Willcock, and Basics moved in for the kill at 106-9.

However, Moseley and Ben Wish added 45 for the last wicket and extended the innings to 43 overs before Wish was caught.

Moseley’s unbeaten 75 was his highest first-team score and gave Rowledge something to bowl at.

But Hook & Newnham put the score in context as they cantered to an eight-wicket victory in 34 overs. While chances were given and not taken, their batsmen showed class on the excellent surface.

Forbes dismissed Thane for a boundary-filled 30 and, next ball, had Hobday caught by Lloyd to briefly raise his side’s hopes.

That was as good as it got for Rowledge as Thomson and Matt Love stroked the ball around the ground in an unbroken partnership of 103. Thomson finished 73 not out and Love just had time to reach his own half-century.

Rowledge travel to second-placed Portsmouth this week in search of a win to kick-start their second half of the season.