This turned out to be a long day given the sweltering conditions and that 120 overs were bowled in a high scoring game and Lymington had to be content with this result against Bournemouth, one of the best sides in the division.

Lymington won the toss and elected to bat on a good wicket at Chapel Gate by Bournemouth Airport.
Terry Crabb (73) continued his excellent form as opening batter and is now fifth in the Premier Division top run scorers. Dom Hand was soon out to Ollie Breckon (4-62) but Crabb was then joined by ex-Hampshire Academy player Ethan Baker (30) making his debut for the club with the pair putting on 93 for the second wicket before Crabb was bowled by Alfie Appleby Ingram (1-61) after a hard earned knock. Bournemouth’s leading wicket taker, left arm spinner Connor Smith (4-102), finally got among the wickets with a caught and bowled of Baker and then had Ryan Scott (7) caught by Robinson.

Charlie Wilson (50) played a more patient knock than normal holding the middle order together and with Gareth Berg (28) put on 48 for the fifth wicket before wicket keeper batsman Ben Van Der Merwe with the first of his three catches and one stumping, caught Berg. But Josh Royan (69 in 63 balls) with his best performance of the season then pushed the innings forward. including ramp shots and reverse sweeps, as he and Wilson put on 95 for the seventh wicket and made sure that Lymington had a competitive total in the 64 overs allowed for under a timed game.

In reply it turned out to be quite a day for the South African opener, Van der Merwe, spending virtually the whole day in the field as he held the Bournemouth innings together with 130 runs in 131 balls, including 74 in boundaries. Top Bournemouth league run scorer, Alfie Appleby Ingram (14) though soon succumbed to Berg and Rj Jhala (8) was then lbw to Thor Howell (1-71) and James van Gool (4) did not last out long before falling to Asad Abbas (2-49) as three wickets fell for 38 runs. Van de Merwe then put on 71 for the fourth wicket with Ben Rogers (36) before a partnership of 64 for the sixth wicket with captain Tom Robinson (32).

With a tiring Van der Merwe and tight, disciplined bowling Lymington kept the run rate down and might even had won the game if the side had taken all its chances. In the end though Lymington had to be content with a losing draw given its lower run rate than for Bournemouth after the maximum 56 overs allowed.

Following the game Lymington now find themselves back in one position off the bottom but such is the league table that one good result could push the side up to fifth. This coming Saturday the side are at home to league leader St. Cross Symondians in another timed game with an 11am start.

Photo: Josh Royan taken by James Robinson.