Lymington suffered at Alton in a disappointing 69 run defeat and lostground in the title chase. This was not helped by another indifferent batting performance,with poor shot selection, and slack fielding at times. Lymington have now lost three of their last four games.

 Alton captain Scott Myers won the toss and elected to bat on a sunny,breezy afternoon at the Jubilee Playing Fields. Alton soon slipped to 41-2 as EddieWithington (2-42) removed both openers Daniel Harris (17) and Alton’s leadingrun scorer Sam Ruffell (11). This only brought in Myers (79) with a patientknock in 118 balls and a partnership of 78 runs with Ben Rolfs (42) beforeMonam Abbas (2-59) on a wicket taking spin removed the latter triggering amiddle order batting collapse as three wickets fell for 19 runs led by Guy Layman(2-37).

Myers was then joined by Fred Egleston (68 not out in 44 balls) as thepair set about the Lymington bowling with a partnership of 67 in 64 balls beforeAbbas struck again. The late order continued to score steadily led by Egleston helpedby Tom South (13) before Jovan Dahriwal (2-69) struck with a smart caught and bowled.   Alton finished their innings with a formidable total of 266 in their 50overs, including a 22 run last over, not helped by some sloppy Lymington fieldingincluding four dropped catches at critical stages of the game while Berg (0-34) wasunlucky not to take a wicket.

As Lymington captain Berg said “we should haverestricted Alton to around 230 runs that would have been much more gettable”.  Monam Abbas (22) got Lymington off to a flier with all his runs in boundariesin just eight balls but his batting remains fragile as he then offered an easy loftedcatch to Ben Rolfs off the bowling of Bash Walters (1-51). Fellow openingbatter Ronnie Patel, playing just his second Premier Division game of theseason, in an encouraging display put on 63 runs for the second wicket as Robbie Hemmings (63 including 11 fours) returned to
form. Both were then out toTom South (4-42) as three wickets fell for just 14 runs helped by Dan Sumner(2-33).

Berg and Liam McCurdy (26), making his season debut in the SPL, gave Lymingtonrenewed hope putting on 41 for the fifth wicket before Berg (15) was outsweeping at Ben Rolfs (1-14) much to the delight of the Alton team knowing this was a crucial wicket. The season though would not be the same without yetanother late order batting collapse with the last four wickets falling for just5 runs in 10 balls with South and Jude Wright (2-27) doing the damage.    

This coming Saturday Lymington are again away, to the Hampshire Academy,at the Utilita Bowl Nursery Ground in another limited 50 over game. Lymingtonare still in third position in the table but lost ground to both Alton and St.Cross Symondians and must consider themselves out of the title race with onlythree games left unless there is a dramatic change in fortunes.  

Photo of Robbie courtesy of Stephen Nicholls