CHARLTON DOWN 210-8 (20pts) beat DORSET INDIAN TIGERS 168 (8pts) by 42 runs

CHARLTON Down’s impressive unbeaten run was given a severe test by an excellent Dorset Indian Tigers team.

But the league leaders ran out eventual winners by 42 runs thanks to some excellent batting by James Pretty (69no), Kim Park (47) and Javed Gill taking 4-35.

Charlton Down won the toss and batted on the small Charborough Road ground.

The hosts started the match with only seven fielders due to players being stuck in heavy holiday traffic.

Lack of fielders made no difference due to the excellent opening bowlers of Vinod (2-30) and Richard (0-10).

Vinod bowled Jack Eveleigh off the first ball of the match with a beautiful in-swinging yorker. Jae Miller and Roger Frapwell batted well to survive on a very bouncy wicket against accurate bowling.

A change of bowling saw talented all rounder Shafiq bowl Frapwell for 17 and then captain Sharma dismissed Miller for 14 with the score on 37-3 off 13 overs.

Charlton Down then decided to take the game to the opposition and a quick partnership of 57 in seven overs between Sam Roles (24) and Park increased the scoreboard activity until a change of bowling saw Ayaz take two quick wickets of Roles and Gill to leave the Charlton Down score looking precarious on 98-5.

However Park and Pretty dug deep and produced a match-winning partnership pushing the score from 98 to 154 before Park was run out, attempting to gain an extra run for the cause with the score on 154-6.

Rob Deadman, Marc Spurway and Pete Tucker all held up an end to allow the rampant Pretty to add 56 runs to the Charlton Down total to end on 210-8.

The hosts started well in reply, adding 24 runs in the first four overs.

Jae Miller struck first trapping Richard in front for 19.

Not to be outdone, Rich Fagence then struck twice, yorking Gunna for five and then Abhishek cut straight to Frapwell for nine with the score on 41-3.

Khan (27) and the explosive hitting of Shafiq (59) used the short straight boundaries effectively and looked to be taking the game away from Charlton Down with the score on 105-3 after only 16 overs.

However the game changer was an inspired spell from Gill (4-35), who ripped out the Dorset Indians middle order taking four wickets in 10 balls.

Tucker came on to bowl the dangerous Shafiq and then mopped up the tail to ensure a 42-run win.