SPCL Premier Division cricket: Lymington CC snatch Alton victory from jaws of defeat

SPCL Premier Division

Lymington CC 206-9

Alton CC 163

LYMINGTON somehow managed to snatch a victory after a dramatic recovery overcame yet another batting collapse, getting home by 43 runs as Alton lost the initiative.

Batting at number nine, Asad Abbas (58 not out, including two enormous sixes) finally gave the side hope, while five catches from wicketkeeper Robbie Hemmings helped seal the deal.

The last two wickets added 78 runs, while Alton dropped six catches and missed two run-outs.

The top order batters again largely failed as Lymington slipped to 50-4 with Bash Walters (3-32) getting among the early wickets, including Ben Rogers (10).

Fellow opener Robbie Hemmings (17) also fell to Walters, while Monam Abbas (9) and Ryan Scott (10) both seem to be going through lean spells at present.

Brothers Kamran (47) and Jovan Dhariwal (13) put on 34 for the fifth wicket before Ben Rolfs (1-42) removed Jovan.

Gareth Berg (10) then joined Kamran, with the pair putting on 32 for the sixth wicket.

When Jovan was stumped by Mark Heffernan being well down the wicket shy of his 50, Lymington had slipped to 128-8.

The entry of Asad Abbas, though, transformed the game as he put the fielding side under pressure in a spell that included two dropped catches and then missed a comical run-out.

Liam Thompson (16) was also involved as the pair put on 37 runs for the ninth wicket.

There was then an unbroken tenth wicket partnership of 41, the highest of the innings, with Alvin Cameron (8 not out).

Lymington even used up all their 50 overs, which seemed most improbable earlier in the innings.

Alton then got off to a bad start as Jude Wright (0) was soon back in the clubhouse, with Liam Thompson (4-22) having his best spell of the season.

Wright was caught by Robbie Hemmings who had an excellent game behind the stumps taking five catches.

Soon Alton had slipped to 33-4 as Gareth Berg took a splendid diving catch in the deep to remove Daniel Harris (14) and Ben Rogers ran-out Aarav Rajnikanth (11) with a direct hit and only one stump to aim at.

Alvin Cameron (3-30) then got among the wickets having Sam Ruffell (1) caught also by Hemmings.

The entry of captain Scott Myers (53) then brought some stability to the Alton innings, and with Ben Rolfs (22), the two put on 42 for the fifth wicket before Rolfs was LBW to Monam Abbas (1-14).

Wickets then continued to fall steadily despite the efforts of Scott Myers, last out bowled by Cameron with two overs to spare.

Lymington returns to action on Saturday against newly-promoted Basingstoke & North Hants with a 12.30pm start.