WITCHAMPTON 220-5 (18pts) beat CHARLTON DOWN 132-7 (4pts) by 35 runs (D/L method)

A RAIN-interrupted match saw Charlton Down lose by 35 runs against a resurgent Witchampton, after failing to chase a revised Duckworth Lewis score of 167 in 25 overs in County Division Two.

The Witches came into the game off the back of a galling last-over defeat to Weymouth in their previous encounter.

Looking to atone for that loss, the hosts started brightly with Martin Ashford and talented Southern League man Simon Woodruff drafted into the team after Bournemouth’s first team match was rained off.

It was a change to the bowling of Nick Voss (1-27) which saw Ian Doyle take a sharp catch behind the stumps to dismiss the dangerous Woodruff for 25 with the score on 48-1.

Mark Homewood (1-37) then had Ashford well caught at mid-off by Mark Spurway for 30 with the score on 59-1.

Witchampton then slumped from 92-2 to 124-5 as James Pretty (2-33) excelled despite the tight boundaries with the help of two high catches at mid-off by Jae Miller, while captain Pete Tucker (1-30) was aided by a sharp slip catch by Spurway.

However, a 96-run partnership either side of various rain breaks between Gavin Wayman (51no) and Ricky Hempstead (52no) turned the game towards Witchampton and the Witches were able to post a final score of 220-5 from their reduced tally of 39 overs.

Charlton Down’s revised target of 167 off 25 overs looked steep with the Duckworth Lewis calculation, mainly owing to Witchampton’s fast start in their innings, but they began quickly in trying to chase down the total.

Roger Frapwell (31) and Jae Miller (17) added 55 in the first 10 overs but it was two brilliant low return catches by Mark Hopkins which dented Charlton’s hopes of victory as he dismissed Miller and Spurway before Stefan Taylor took the wicket of Frapwell with the score on 64-3.

However, Matt Stevens and Nick Voss batted well pushing the score to 92-3 and the final charge in the last few overs was made possible but for Taylor’s (3-34) and Chris Vaughan’s double strike (2-14) ending any hope of producing a win.

Down’s 92-3 soon became 112-7 as each batsman tried to find the required boundaries.

It was left to returning club president Doyle to hit a lovely six to the square leg boundary and claim an additional batting point as Charlton came up 35 runs short of victory.

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