Date and place of Match: Saturday June 2 nd, at Home. League: NSA Saturday Division 1.
Scoreboard: Swanage 209 - 6
( C.Wells 94, A.Howse 64.)
Beaminster 210 - 5
( C.Park 82, K.Berrington 49, S.Jones 26.)
Result: Swanage lost by 5 wickets.
Details:
C.Burger and N.Hansford bowled aggressively for Beaminster but Swanage’s Craig Wells and Anton Howse were equal to the task. Gradually they wrested the initiative from the bowlers to build a magnificent opening partnership of 182. Playing one of his finest innings, Wells mixed watchful defence with fierce attack. He later interspersed his drives and pulls with delicate late cuts and leg glides. Not to be outdone, Howse played some glorious straight and cover drives. When they were both out in the thirty seventh over, the Swanage middle order failed to capitalise on the excellent start, adding only 27 runs in the remaining seven overs.
Nevertheless, Beaminster had a sizeable total to chase on the good batting pitch. C.Park and K.Berrington immediately attacked the bowling. While Park was watchful and technically correct, Berrington swung the bat at anything driveable. Scoring at over four an over, their opening partnership of 93 set up a momentum that was never lost. Parks steady innings was the cornerstone of some forceful batting, which achieved victory with two overs to spare.
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Date and place of Match: Sunday June 3 rd, at Home. League: NSA Sunday Division 3.
Scoreboard: Old Blandfordians 165 - 6
( P.Catton 49*, T.Coughbrough 40, S.Joyce 35. R.Barker 3 - 33. )
Swanage First Eleven 98 - 9
( J.Hardy 22. I. Milne 5 - 28, A. Joyce 3 - 13. )
Result: Swanage lost by 67 runs.
Details:
Ron Barker and Ryan Norman reduced Old Bournemouthians to 15 - 3 but the change bowlers were unable to press home the advantage. As the bowlers lost their line and the fielders put down catches, Joyce, Cotton and Coughbrough prospered.
After an opening partnership of 29 between John Hardy and Theo Holland, the Swanage reply was a sorry affair. The batsmen were unable to handle the accurate spin of Ian Milne and Andrew Joyce who deservedly picked up eight of the nine wickets to fall. Only late defiance from Dave Puckett enabled Swanage to get a batting point.