SHILLINGSTONE II 197-7 (19pts) beat ABBOTSBURY 195-9 (11pts) by 2 runs

ABBOTSBURY snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in their final game of the season to finish in third place in Division Four.

The Swans started the game knowing that victory could see them sneak into a promotion spot while a win for Shillingstone would confirm the away side as Division Four champions.

Abbotsbury skipper Simon Pengelly elected to bowl first and Shillingstone openers Ben Andrews (9) and Ian Paulley (72) kept their wickets intact during an accurate display of bowling from Grafton Straker (0-26) and Chas Duerdoth (2-17) until the latter produced a beautiful delivery to remove Andrews.

Two overs later, and aided by some variable bounce, Duerdoth struck again to dismiss Ben Hull (4).

Paulley was having more success against the Abbotsbury attack though, and in tandem with the free-scoring Tom Waters (45) the duo pushed the score on to 130 after 30 overs.

However, Swans’ left-armer Jay Lintern (1-52) got a deserved wicket in the final over of his spell when Paulley played on and Waters picked out the safe hands of Straker in the covers off the bowling of Aaron Oliver (1-40).

Pengelly then brought himself into the attack and struck twice and fellow spinner Chris Backhouse also grabbed a wicket as Shillingstone finished on 197-7.

In reply for the Swans, Aaron Oliver and Pengelly took the score to 68 without loss before the skipper miscued a Hull delivery and was caught for 25.

Steve Budd hit a quickfire 15 but was run out by a direct hit and there was a double blow for the Swans in the 22nd over when Oliver fell for 44 and Stu Gill (14) was bowled after being deceived by the lack of bounce.

When Mark Webber grabbed the important wicket of Duerdoth (8), 66 runs were required off the final 17 overs but steady light rain was causing the pitch to cut up and the bounce to become even less reliable.

Backhouse and Nick Kneebone found runs difficult to come by but were edging towards the victory target until Kneebone (26) was undone by a shooter from Gary Weldon, who then completed a hat-trick as Frank Pitman was stumped and Pete Lawrence was bowled.

With seven required off the final over, Backhouse (36no) was denied enough of the strike and Straker (3no) was unable to find the crucial boundary as the Swans fell three short of victory.

Bride Valley Motors man of the match: Aaron Oliver