CHARLTON DOWN 172 (19pts) beat BLANDFORD SECONDS 132 (8pts) by 40 runs

CHARLTON Down gained their fourth-straight promotion since their inception into Saturday League cricket, with a comfortable 40-run victory over a good Blandford Seconds team.

This will see Charlton Down playing their cricket in Division Three next season.

The hosts won the toss and chose to bat, but found runs hard to come by against the impressive teenager Ryan White (1-30) and the evergreen Kev Robbins (0-24).

Jack Eveleigh and Jae Miller batted well and it was the former who brought up the opening partnership of 50 with a delightful cover drive boundary.

The reintroduction of Lewis Freak saw him have Miller caught at mid-off by Ryan White for 29 with the score on 55-1.

As the Charlton Down batsmen tried to increase the run-rate, Blandford kept picking up wickets.

Captain Martin Weber had Eveleigh stumped for 26 and then a quick-fire 29 from Sam Roles saw a Joe Freak slower ball hit straight to the grateful hands of Steve Robbins at square leg.

Dan Stevens was run out to leave the score on 129-6.

But, once again, the strong Charlton Down batting line-up saw Kim Park (28no) and Javed Gill add a valuable 25 runs and take the score past the 150-run mark.

Mark Spurway and Rob Deadman each cracked boundaries as they supported the in-form Park as the hosts’ innings closed on 172.

Blandford Seconds captain Martin Weber gave youth a chance with his batting order and was rewarded with a lovely innings of 44 from Ryan White, 26 from Ben Bidan and some sound defence from Freak.

Stevens (2-18) continued his impressive form with the ball, bowling Freak with the score on 26-1.

The change of bowling saw Gill and Roles bowl in tandem and rip out the Blandford middle order which saw the visitors collapse from 84-2 to 91-6.

Roles and Gill took 3-36 and 2-18 respectively.

The slow bowling of Park (1-34) added additional complications to the visiting batsmen and it was Park who picked up the valuable wicket of top scorer White with a steepling catch off his own bowling.

It was left to the returning Matt Stevens (2-21) and Dan Stevens (2-18) to clean up the remaining batsmen and secure the required points to confirm promotion.

Charlton Down’s next target will be 14 points in the next three matches, to go up as the league champions.

The only disappointment during the day was captain Peter Tucker breaking a finger when attempting a catch off Roles’ bowling and having to leave the

field and receive treatment at hospital.

However, Sue Stevens – Dan and Matt’s mother – came on to the field as substitute fielder and produce some great fielding, including a diving stop on the boundary which brought a roar from the pavilion.