PUDDLETOWN 168 (6pts) lost to CHARLTON DOWN 144-4 (20pts) by six wickets

CHARLTON Down made it eight victories from eight full games as they ran out winners by six wickets with a revised run rate score in a rain-affected derby against local rivals Puddletown.

Batting first the home side’s openers, Tim Orford (68) and Barry Knight (5), found the bowling of Matt and Dan Stevens challenging with the outside edge being regularly found but not falling to a fielder.

Puddletown lost their first wicket, with the score on 28, with a brilliant run out by Jae Miller.

Lucas Allen joined Orford at the crease and decided that attack was the best form of defence smashing five fours in his first eight deliveries with Orford playing the intelligent supporting role.

Puddletown’s score rattled along quickly to 98 after only 20 overs until Allen (52) was leg before to Javed Gill.

Adam Weir couldn’t cope with the spin of Sam Roles (1-24) who was brilliantly snaffled at wide first slip with the score on 108-3.

After a further rain break saw Orford and Mike Hoffman (21) add 52 quick runs and, with the score on 160, a score in excess of 220 looked possible with over 10 overs remaining.

Neither team could have foreseen the next 4.5 overs as Puddletown collapsed from 160-3 to 168 all out. Losing their last seven wickets for just eight runs in only 29 balls. Marc Spurway(3-24) did the damage alongside captain Tommy Tucker and Matt Stevens.

The scorers had calculators and pens out to calculate the revised score of 142 in 30 overs following the various rain breaks.

The visiting openers, Jack Eveleigh and Miller, gave the team a solid start in their reduced over run chase and the running between the wickets was instinctive, not having to actually call for a run at times.

The 50-run partnership was eventually ended with Heron taking a good catch behind off Steve Chalidicott’s first ball to remove the dangerous Miller for 21.

Orford then took a fine return catch to dismiss Eveleigh for 25 with the score on 65-2.

Nick Voss and Sam Roles added 30 quick runs in only four overs to push the score to 93-3 when consistent line and length of Chaldicott nipped out Voss for 17.

Only eight runs later, Lucas had Roger Frapwell leg before wicket and Puddletown were sensing a similar collapse could be next at 101-4.

However, Roles (31no) and Matt Stevens (23no) batted intelligently pouncing on anything short or over pitched and their youthfulness turned singles into two’s on many occasions. the revised target was secured with three overs to spare and continued Charlton Down’s impressive unbeaten start to the season.

After the game, Tucker said: “The cliché of a good team performance was no truer in this victory as so many players contributed.

“The unsung hero of many teams is the wicketkeeper. Rob Deadman for us is so important and like today in tricky wet conditions and playing on a wet outfield and on a artificial wicket his glove work was superb and once again no byes conceded.”