ABBOTSBURY 76 (6pts) lost to DORSET INDIAN TIGERS 188 (20pts) by 95 runs

ABBOTSBURY crashed to a disappointing home defeat against Dorset Indian Tigers in a rain-hit match in County Division Four.

A downpour delayed the scheduled start time by an hour and reduced the game to 30 overs a side.

However, once the clouds had cleared, Swans’ skipper Simon Pengelly had no hesitation in putting the away side into bat, with conditions expected to favour bowling.

However, the Tigers’ openers, A Sibin and A Sanin, made a steady start against Grafton Straker

(0-26) and Chas Duerdoth (3-20) until the latter broke through in the seventh over with the wicket of Sibin (11).

Left-armer Jay Lintern (1-16) came into the attack but struggled badly with his line in a lengthy opening over that went for 16, although a surprise straight ball bowled Sanin (25).

Pengelly (1-24) brought his off-spin into the attack and his tidy spell helped to stifle the run scoring although the total moved on to the 100 mark until the third wicket fell, Asish (20) slogging Chris Backhouse (1-49) to deep mid-wicket to be safely pouched by Pengelly.

A further wicket quickly followed but some ragged bowling allowed the scoring rate to escalate.

Simon Allen (3-51) was smacked for 34 in his third over but found his mojo with three wickets which contributed to a late collapse, Lintern running out the last man to see the Tigers bowled out for 188.

In reply, chasing a revised target of 171 due to a further rain break, the hosts had a bright start with the first four overs yielding 29 runs, mainly off the blade of Pengelly.

However, Stuart Gill (6) looped a catch to point off Joby (1-13) and then Abbotsbury suffered a double blow in the seventh over as the impressive Joseph (6-11) dismissed Pengelly (28) and the incoming Duerdoth (6).

Steve Budd (2) followed soon after, wicketkeeper Junaid taking a fine catch down the leg side. Nick Kneebone and Backhouse (20no) attempted to steady the ship but run scoring was proving difficult with the ball holding up on a sticky surface. Kneebone (2) fell to a yorker from Joseph and then he immediately cleaned up Allen and debutant Ollie Adderley to complete a hat-trick.

The Abbotsbury batsmen folded as they fell to 76 all out.

*Abbotsbury CC are sponsored by Bride Valley Motors.