PORTLAND RT 211 (7pts) lost to SWANAGE 213-5 (20pts) by five wickets

PORTLAND Red Triangle’s upturn in results was ended by Swanage as the visitors took a five-wicket victory from their County Division One meeting at Reforne.

With big runs scored at Portland’s ground last week, Swanage did superbly well to limit Triangle to 211 before chasing the target quickly.

Looking to post a big total, Portland opted to bat first after winning the toss but lost star all-rounder Simon Proffitt (0) to Ben Hodder (3-25).

Seamer Hodder went on to bowl Izaak Russell (2), forcing Triangle skipper Matt Randell (36) and Matt Barrett to rebuild from 15-2.

READ MORE: Portland beat Stalbridge by seven wickets

Randell’s run-a-ball innings contained seven fours and was halted when Ryan Stearn (2-46) snuck one through his defences before bowling Ryan Price (1).

Barrett (53) went on to notch his third half-century of the season, having hit ten boundaries and a six, until he became leg-spinner Steve Kent’s first victim.

Kent (2-46) also disposed of Andy West (2) as Portland reached 162-6.

Tim Forshaw, meanwhile, was closing in on a fifty after sharing 67 with Barrett for the fifth wicket but he fell just short of the landmark when opener Freddie Long (1-37) returned to oust him.

With time and wickets running out, Portland were indebted to 28 from 24 balls from Joe Adkins, his innings featuring three fours and a maximum before he was run out.

Hodder claimed his third scalp and another run out ended Portland’s innings on 211 – a score that always looked vulnerable.

Swanage began their reply brightly as Charlie Dyke (32) smacked two sixes and four boundaries before perishing to Bob Edwards (1-38).

Mark Stacey (47) continued the heavy scoring with a succession of beautifully-timed boundaries but Adkins (1-14) came on to bowl opener Mike Nash (8) with a low-bouncing delivery.

Portland now had a foothold and spinner Randell (1-24) pinned Anthony Mahes (18) lbw to reduce the Swans to 102-3 – a total that could have been worse off had it not been for numerous dropped catches.

Stacey appeared the biggest danger, hitting nine fours, but his wicket also fell to spin as Jack Marsh (1-38) forced the batter to chip to Randell at long on, ending his fluent 34-ball knock.

However, Swanage then took the game away from Portland with a clinical 91-run stand between Tom Wells (30) and the evergreen Craig Wells (60no).

Punishing anything full, short or wide, the duo scored quickly as Craig reached his half-century with flowing strokeplay.

Although Tom Wells departed four runs short of the winning line, Craig Wells hit his 11th boundary on the very next ball to seal a maximum-point win with 74 balls remaining.

Speaking to Echosport, Randell said: “We were short of runs, we didn’t really play our shots. We were a bit concerned about the pitch.

“That echoed through the batting line-up and we just didn’t play that positive way that we like to.

“To be honest, we thought it might’ve been harder to bat on second up. I thought it was the right decision to bat first but we didn’t set the tone early enough.

“I thought we bowled all right, we didn’t field very well. We bowled in enough good areas to create chances but they were dropped.

“Tim was keeping a tally and I think it was nine. If you drop nine catches you don’t deserve to win, it’s that simple.”

Portland’s second team lost by four wickets at Cheselbourne in Division Five.