PORTLAND RT 170 (18pts) beat BLANDFORD 74 (5pts) by 96 runs

PORTLAND Red Triangle maintained their pursuit of leaders Compton House in County Division Two with a healthy 96-run victory over Blandford at Reforne.

Triangle did miss the opportunity to draw level with the table-toppers, missing out on two batting points, and consequently remain two points behind the pacesetters, who also claimed 18 points against Shillingstone Seconds.

Portland batted first in foggy conditions and quickly found themselves in peril at 27-2 when they lost key men Ray Emery (3) and Simon Proffitt (17) to the bowling of Ryan White (2-38).

Captain Matt Randell (25) and Gary Randell (3) recovered the situation with a 50 partnership but when they were removed by Alex Sullivan (3-24), Triangle were struggling at 99-4.

Blandford then made further inroads in reducing the hosts to 116-7, dismissing Simon Barrett (0), Cameron Midgley (6) and Callan Laws (17) in quick succession.

But a cameo innings from Matt Barrett (33), which included six fours, revived Triangle as they went on to reach 170 all out, despite Lewis Freak (3-12) mopping up the tail cheaply.

In reply, Blandford’s top order was decimated by the on-song Proffitt, who dismissed each of Blandford’s first four batsmen. Sullivan was also run out in the chaos as Blandford stuttered to a precarious 29-5.

Luke Haines (18) briefly dug in to salvage some respectability for the visitors but his resistance was ended by Jon Cameron, before Proffitt claimed his fifer.

It was left to Barrett to bag a brace as Portland completed the rout by bowling Blandford out for a miserly 74 runs in just 20.3 overs with only three batsmen making it into double figures.

Portland’s next match sees them travel to Compton House for a top-of-the-table battle on Saturday.

The islanders will aim to overhaul the two-point gap to their opponents as the first half of the season draws to a close.

n In the County Division Five battle between each side’s second strings Blandford came out on top with a two-wicket win.

Nine-man Portland were dismissed for 134, with wicketkeeper Ryan Price (59) and Nathan Cornish (36) the only men to make double figures.

But a below-par total was always in danger with two extra gaps in the field and, despite a spirited effort with the ball, taking eight wickets, Portland just lost out.

Red Triangle’’s Seconds next play table-topping Swanage Seconds at Reforne on Saturday.