BASINGSTOKE and North Hants, once with one of the most feared batting line-ups in regional cricket, were humbled again on Saturday when they lost by 154 runs at home to Reading.

The victory at May's Bounty gave Reading their first win of the Home Counties League season and left Basingstoke still to record maximum points.

Seven days before, they fell to an all-seam attack at High Wycombe, where they were bowled out for 154 in 56.1 overs.

On Saturday all the home wickets were shared by Reading's two classy spinners, David Hartley and skipper Sammy Patel, as Basingstoke were dismissed for just 92 in 31 overs in reply to a Reading total of 246-6 declared after 60 overs.

Basingstoke skipper Lee Nurse was not alarmed by the Reading total after he had asked them to bat.

"I thought their total was about par for the course on a flat wicket. We didn't bowl too badly."

The pick of the home bowlers was Jon Govett, who took all but one of the Reading wickets to fall. His five wickets came at a cost of 66 runs in 15 overs.

But it took two-and-a-half hours to make the breakthrough. By that time Reading had rattled up an opening stand of 155, a club partnership record in the Home Counties League.

The first man to fall was South African Bjorn Mordt, who made 64 before being bowled by Govett.

Without addition to the scoring, Govett had new batsman Barber out, lbw for nought.

Mordt's opening partner Tom Fray also fell to Govett. He had dominated the first-wicket stand and went on to make 101 before being bowled with the score on 192.

South African spinner Paul Harris bowled five maidens in his marathon stint of 23 overs and he accounted for the next wicket, Javid, courtesy of a catch by Chris Chandler in the deep.

Govett claimed the scalps of Perkins and skipper Patel before Patel called in his batsmen after 60 overs.

He had seen the ball turned by Paul Harris and turned to an all-spin attack after six overs, bringing himself on in partnership with leg-spinner David Hartley.

Basingstoke enjoyed an opening stand of 41 before Ian Maynard became the first of three victims of Patel's off-spin when he gave a catch to mid-wicket after scoring 18. His total included three boundaries.

With only one run added, Lee Nurse went for 22, giving Hartley the first of his seven scalps from a catch at deep square-leg. He too had hit three fours.

Basingstoke's demise was swift with only Scott Dyer (13) getting into double figures of the remaining eight wickets to fall.

Ross Hunter remained unbeaten on 14 when the match ended prematurely two overs after tea. The last nine wickets had fallen for the addition of just 51 runs, although the lbw decision against Paul Harris was unlucky.

"You can't grumble about umpiring decisions," said home skipper Nurse.

"The players have got to look at themselves hard. Each player has to work out himself what he's doing wrong."

What could the captain do for team morale?

"I can tell a player he's the greatest player in the world but it's not going to do a lot for him or the team."