ST GEORGE’S 242-8 (20pts) beat BRADFORD ABBAS 99 (5pts) by 143 runs

AFTER an enforced break due to Bournemouth not being able to raise a side the previous week, St George’s returned to action with an emphatic victory over bottom side Bradford Abbas.

The home team batted first on a Rec wicket still drying out from the overnight rain, and the innings was given a fantastic start by openers Colin Gough and Rob Cole, who compiled a century stand for the first wicket.

After a watchful start against the new ball, Cole was quickly into his stride with some trademark blows over the leg side boundary.

Cole brought up a first 50 of the season with another fiercely struck drive before the stand was broken when Gough was bowled just short of his own half-century.

Debutant Mike Salmon came in at number three and hit a quick-fire 48 before wickets tumbled in the closing overs.

The innings closed on 242-8, the best total the Saints have posted so far this season.

The visitors lost two early wickets to Santosh Nair following the interval, the first as the result of a superb diving slip catch by the half-fit Crispin Brown.

Third-wicket pair Mark Whitmarsh and Connor Wills then blunted the hosts’ bowling attack and took the score past the 50 mark.

However, these were the only two Bradford Abbas batsmen to reach double figures, as Jamie Barrett ran through the middle order and Brown polished off the tail to complete a convincing win against the basement boys.