PORTLAND RT 105 (9pts) lost to COMPTON HOUSE 106 (16pts) by one run

PORTLAND Red Triangle suffered an agonising one-run loss to old adversaries Compton House in a thrilling County Division One clash at Reforne.

Victory hands House their second win from two games, while Matt Randell’s men have been defeated in their first two fixtures.

Randell won the toss and elected to field, but House’s opening batsmen Thomas Hunt (15) and Michael Harper (33) were in good form, putting on a 61-run stand.

However, they ran into Kiwi overseas player Kyle Sloane, who devastated the visitors’ top and middle order, scything through five batsmen with pinpoint yorkers to claim figures of 6-32.

Rich Millard (15) and number 11 batsman Max Brill (10) were the only other House players to reach double figures as Triangle took all 10 wickets for 45 runs, the returning Rich Samuel also weighing in with 2-26.

In reply, Portland lost their top order quickly with Ray Emery (6), Dave Adkins (12) and Randell (1) falling as Triangle limped to 34-3, Harper taking 2-13.

Key man Simon Proffitt (17) hit a six in his short-lived innings, but Ollie Whisker (25) proved the mainstay of the innings as wickets tumbled around him.

Needing five to win, Whisker looked set to guide the hosts to victory at 102-8, but was trapped lbw by Sridhar Ramakrishnan (1-8), and House quickly wrapped up victory to earn a coveted triumph and further stoke the rivalry between last season’s Division Two title contenders.

Speaking to Echosport, Randell blamed “bad batting” for Triangle’s inability to chase 107.

He said: “It was poor decisions with the bat, almost thinking that it was going to come to us rather than going and scoring the runs.

“There were some bad shot choices and bad running between the wickets. Too many people missed straight balls – it was just bad batting.

“We did the hard part and then to not be able to chase 106 is a little bit embarrassing.”

But Randell did praise Whisker’s effort, the batsman having so nearly taken his side over the winning line.

He said: “Ollie played that anchor role, which is perfect. We have a tendency to lose a couple of early wickets so having him to come in at five was perfect.

“It’s just a shame that no-one else could do anything around that.”

Meanwhile, Portland Red Triangle Seconds 103 (3pts) lost to Wareham 104-2 (20pts) by eight wickets in County Division Four.