Cricket: Super Swans trounce depleted Portland

ABBOTSBURY walloped under-strength Portland Red Triangle Seconds in this one-sided Division Four encounter.

On winning the toss, Swans’ skipper Simon Pengelly (17), opened the batting with Robin Potter against a Portland team only able to field nine players.

Medium pacer Richard Samuel (1-47) produced a ragged first over for the away side, which cost 17 runs, but at the other end Jon Cameron (2-19) was more potent and nipped a ball through Pen-gelly’s defence to bowl the skipper in the fifth over with the score on 34.

Samuel then struck to remove Kynan Brian (4) and the Swans found themselves three down as Pete Lawrence went for a duck.

The arrival of big-hitting Chris Backhouse sparked an acceleration in the scoring rate, while Potter played a more resolute role at the other end.

However, Portland claimed another pair of quick wickets as Backhouse (39) picked out Ant-hony Morris on the mid-wicket boundary and the incoming Alex Hebron (1) was caught by visiting skipper Grant Neven off the bowling of Jody Locke (1-30). When Potter (24) was finally dismissed edging Joe Adkins (2-26) behind with the score on 117-6 it looked as if Abbotsbury would struggle to post a decent total.

However, Nick Kneebone, batting at number seven due to a delayed arrival, was unmoved and produced some good shots, particularly to the cover boundary.

Despite the loss of two further wickets, runs continued to flow and Kneebone (62no), assisted by Aaron Oliver (12no), pushed the total up to 219-8 after 40 overs.

In reply, Portland were soon in trouble against the spin of Krish Subramanian (3-11) who picked up three early wickets.

Medium pacer Pete Lawrence (3-9) was equally effective at the other end as a depleted Port- land batting line up was dismantled.

Only Peter Laming (11no) reached double figures and when Aaron Oliver (1-0) dismissed Locke the away side were bowled out for just 23.

* The match ball was sponsored by M J Fry Agricultural Engineers.