ABBOTSBURY 155-9 (4pts) lost to PUDDLETOWN 156-0 (19pts) by 10 wickets

A DEPLETED Abbotsbury side suffered a heavy defeat to new leaders Puddletown in County Division Four.

The Swans were dealt a blow before the game commenced with two late withdrawals as Will Ripsher and Max Joby were hastily drafted in to complete the Abbotsbury line up.

Skipper Simon Pengelly again elected to open the batting after winning the toss but Simon Pittman (0) fell without troubling the scorers, edging to the slip cordon off Dave Morris (3-11).

Pengelly (14) struck two boundaries but played round an Adam Weir (2-24) delivery to be bowled and the incoming Kynan Brian (2) fell in similar fashion to Morris to see the Swans tottering on 39-4.

Nick Kneebone (32) and Ashley Harrow (16) nurtured the score to 66 but shortly after surviving a big appeal for caught behind, Kneebone was undone by a full delivery from fast left-armer Callum Chaldecott (1-25).

Abbotsbury were unable to build any big partnerships and the unrelenting Puddletown attack had reduced the Swans to 91-7 by the 30th over.

However, the Abbotsbury tail wagged with 37 runs contributed from the unlikely source of Jay Lintern, who hit five boundaries including one mighty six in an entertaining knock.

Grafton Straker (12) also reached double figures but was dismissed by Lucas Allen (2-24) as the Swans finished on 155-9.

With a modest total to protect, Abbotsbury needed to make inroads into the opposition batting but early chances were wasted.

Alby Stevens was dropped at cover and, with some uncertain calling between his opening partner Lucas Allen, several run out opportunities were not taken.

Economical bowling from Straker (0-27) and Pengelly (0-21) consequently went unrewarded as Stevens and Allen steadily built the visitors’ reply.

Puddletown’s batsmen were content with ticking over the scoring at the required rate and despite Pengelly’s shuffling of the bowling attack, a wicket was to prove elusive.

When Simon Pittman came on to bowl, the end came quickly however, with 18 being scored off his single over. A wide ball produced the winning run for Puddletown as Stevens (77no) and Allen (59no) remained undefeated in a victory that elevated the away side to the summit of the league.

Abbotsbury occupy sixth in the table and will be hoping for a better result away to Wareham on Saturday.