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CUP OF JOY: RNSTS retained the Echo Cup last night when they beat Saggies at Redlands. Pictured is David Trotter receiving the trophy from sports editor Nigel Dean.

RNSTS 156-4 beat SAGGIES 91-6 by 65 runs

LEE Haynes and Shannon Dunnett both smashed half centuries to ensure RNSTS regained the Echo Cup at Redlands last night.

RNSTS included eight players in their line-up who have played in the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier Division this season and their extra quality inevitably told against a Saggies outfit that battled to the death and made the most of their trip to the final.

Opener Haynes hit a fine 62 to ensure his side got off to a flying start and when Dunnett came in later in the innings and blitzed an unbeaten 60, which included some huge sixes off the bowling of Mark Robinson (0-54) the writing was on the wall.

Thanks to John Ryan (2-20) the Saggies did at one stage have their opponents sweating on 2-39 after county player Belt (0) and his Dorchester colleague Moxom (7) both failed to fire but in the end they were set a target of 156 that they never looked like overcoming.

Simon Browne and John Lamb opened the reply but both players fell for ducks, leaving their side in dire straits on 0-2.

Paul Gadsby (3) then entered the fray but he edged a ball to Haynes off the bowling of Belt (1-15) and at 5-3 the game looked over.

However, the Saggies went on to show immense spirit through Gary King (29), Brendan King (23 not out) and Ryan (17) to ensure they salvaged some pride from the showpiece occasion.

All three batted superbly and ensured their side completed their innings with a score of 91 with four wickets in hand.

For Gadsby it was his eighth defeat in his eighth appearance in an Echo Cup final but there were no signs of disappointment among the Saggies, who ensured the event was a colourful occasion all the way through to the post-match presentations.

RNSTS' Martin Hewson said: "We have got a quality team and they performed. Lee was fantastic and along with Shannon, who also showed his class, we managed to set them a big target after they had us on 39-2 and had put a bit of pressure on us.

"We then managed to get the big wicket of Simon Browne very early on in their reply but all credit to Saggies because they never gave up and kept going. I thought Brendan King, Gary King and John Ryan all did superbly for them."

Saggies' skipper Brendan King added: "When you look at the two line-ups there is a clear different in class but we enjoyed it.

"We knew it was always going to be difficult chasing such a big score especially after losing Simon in the first over but we stuck at it and managed to stay around which was pleasing."

Wicketkeeper Haynes, who also claimed two catches and produced a marvellous stumping, was named man of the match.

REDLANDS SCOREBOARD

RNSTS

Haynes b Browne 62

Moxom lbw Ryan 7

Belt c Voss b Ryan 0

Dunnett not out 60

Richards run out 11

Armfield not out 1

Extras 15

Total (4 wkts, 20 overs) 156

FoW: 1-24, 2-39, 3-95, 4-127

Bowling: Gadsby 5-0-34-0, Ryan 5-0-20-2, Robinson 5-0-54-0, Browne 5-0-36-1.

SAGGIES

Browne c Richards b Trotter 0

Lamb c Womble b Belt 0

Gadsby c Haynes b Belt 3

G King st Haynes b Moxom 29

B King not out 23

Robinson c Haynes b Budd 5

Ryan run out 17

Voss not out 1

Extras 13

Total (6 wkts, 20 overs) 91

FoW: 1-0, 2-0, 3-5, 4-49, 5-57, 6-83.

Bowling: Trotter 5-1-12-1, Belt 5-0-23-2, Moxom 5-0-24-1, Budd 3-0-15-1, Iyer 1-0-8-0, Hewson 1-0-6-0.

8:57am Friday 4th July 2008

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