Lymington extended its lead at the top of the Premier league overwhelming Portsmouth after an uncertain start winning easily in the end by 92 runs while sides below them lost ground. It was the bowlers who ensured victory with Guy Layman (4-18) and Gareth Berg (3-25) and yet all they had to do was bowl straight with all ten Portsmouth wickets either bowled or lbw.

Other aspects of the game were that in both innings the tenth wicket partnership was the highest while Gareth Berg is the leading Premier Division wicket taker with 21 averaging just 11.43 by far the highest for those taking more than 5 wickets.

Lymington lost the toss and put in given the damp and cloudy conditions that favoured the bowlers. Short of an opener to go with the in-from Terry Crabb, Josh Royan (0) was promoted up the order but it was not a success and then Crabb (15) unluckily played on with Joe Kooner-Evans (3-54) dismissing the pair. Wickets continued to fall although keeper Robbie Hemmings (40) had a good knock including a partnership of 34 with Ryan Scott (15) as batters continued to play themselves in but then get out.

At lunch Lymington were 96-6 but with “much better intent and a game plan”, according to captain Berg, by the later order batsmen the last four wickets put on 83 runs. This included Jude Tollerfield (11), Eddie Withingon (11) and Guy Layman (18) and then a last wicket partnership of 38 as 16-year old Bertie Adkins (27 not out) belied his number 11 batting position before Asad Abbas (15) ran himself out.

The top three batsmen in the Premier Division this season all play for Portsmouth but they were blown away by the Lymington attack. Ben Duggan (1) who had scored 136 the previous week was out after facing just three balls as Eddie Withington (2-39) took a wicket in his first over for the sixth league game this season. Mohammed Ashraful (8), ex-Bangladesh national captain subsequently banned for match fixing, soon followed and then Harry Gadd (0) both out to Berg and Portsmouth were 26-3.

Joseph Kooner-Evan (29) who normally bats at number seven steadied the ship for a while before bowled by Guy Layman but six wickets still fell for just 13 runs. It was left to Stephen Warner (15 not out) and Rakshith Rao (15) to offer some resistance putting on 30 for the last wicket. At one stage Layman had 4-5 in just 4 overs as he polished off the tail with Asad Abbas completing the innings with his first ball and Lymington were home with 48 overs to spare and an early finish.

This coming Saturday Lymington are at home to local rivals Bashley who led the league for a while but with disappointing results in the last three games now find themselves in mid-table. This will give added spice to the return fixture that Lymington had won in the first league game of the season.