SPCL Premier League cricket: Lymington bounced back to take down league champions

SPCL Premier League

Burridge CC 223-8

Lymington CC 224-2

Lymington put in a rousing performance against last season’s league champions, Burridge, who won easily in the end by eight wickets.

It made up for the disappointing performances of the previous two weeks on a lovely sunny afternoon, with the side turning out to be a real Jekyll and Hyde team this season.

Lymington won the toss for only the second time in 2024 and were soon on the front foot after putting Burridge into bat.

The leading Premier Division batsman of last season, Mathew Goles – with an average of 82.2 – played a pivotal part in Burridge winning the league but was soon out LBW to the swing of Guy Layman (3-42).

Layman is having an excellent season with 10 wickets so far.

Jack Paskins (57 in 102 balls) hung about in a patient knock but, with luck on his side, offered several chances.

It was a hard afternoon for stand-in wicketkeeper Conor Moors. With Dan Stancliffe (45), the pair put on 79 for the fourth wicket before Liam Thompson (1-41) had Paskins caught in the slips by Ryan Scott.

Captain Oliver Southon (36) held the middle order together. Still, wickets continued to fall mainly to Josh Royan (3-41), with Asad Abbas (1-65) finally getting a wicket towards the end of his mammoth 18-over spell.

On a good batting wicket, the Burridge total never seemed enough, and so it proved that Lymington got off to a solid start with the Lymington openers putting on 46 for the first wicket.

Back from his holidays, Captain Ben Rogers (31) was in his normal positive style. He was well supported by Jovan Dhariwal (19) before both were out to San Stancliffe (2-20).

But that was the end of the success for Burridge as that brought Monam Abbas (97 not out) and Ryan Scott (52 not out) together and the pair hammered 169 runs in an unbroken partnership in just 29 overs.

Abbas was again in especially good form with 14 fours and one six in innings of just 103 balls and now finds himself heading the Premier Division batting with 370 runs at an average of 52.86.

Ryan Scott provided excellent support with six fours in his 77 balls. The game was soon over, with more than 11 overs to spare, as Burridge struggled with their primarily seam bowling attack.

For their next game, Lymington should be able to welcome Gareth Berg back after his three-week absence with the Italy cricket team.

On Saturday, Lymington are away against bottom-of-the-table Havant at 11am.