Lymington made a strong start to their Southern Premier League t20 cup campaign, beating Ferndown Wayfarers at Lymington Sports Ground on Sunday.

Ferndown captain Alex Sansom won the toss and elected to field. As rain clouds gathered overhead, Lymington openers Terry Crabb and Gareth Berg got off to a strong start, taking the score to 45 before Berg was dismissed for 23 in the sixth over. Play was briefly halted around this time, but unlike Saturday, the weather soon cleared and action resumed with no overs lost.

Crabb eventually departed for a well-made 32, caught off the bowling of Daryl Baines, who was the pick of the Ferndown bowlers with figures of 1-21 from his four overs. This did little to stem the flow of runs, as Lymington’s middle order of Ron Patel (40), Jovan Dhariwal (21), Robbie Hemmings (10) and Josh Royan (17) all came in and scored freely from the outset. Their contributions helped carry the hosts to 168-7 from 20 overs.

Ferndown - who achieved promotion to Southern Premier League Division 3 last year - threatened an upset as Tom Munnings smashed a quickfire 49 at the top of the order. But when he was dismissed by Kiwi overseas player Charlie Wilson with the score on 62-2, the Lymington bowlers took control of the game. Wilson (2-20), Asad Abbas (2-9), Jovan Dhariwal (2-13) and Josh Royan (2-7) all claimed two wickets as Ferndown were bowled out for 108 in 18.5 overs.

The SPL T20 Cup follows a ‘Champions League’ format, with each team playing four group games against sides from their region before the finals stage takes place in August. The West Group consists of Lymington, Ferndown, Bournemouth, Bashley, Parley, Sway and New Milton, with a top-two finish required to reach the quarter-finals.

Lymington will be hoping to go one better than last year’s runners-up finish in the competition and are next in action at New Milton on 7 June. Ferndown host Parley the following week.