Schreuder and Cowley guide Lymington to victory at Bournemouth

ECB Southern Premier Division: Bournemouth 196 v Lymington CC 200-8 (Lymington win by two wickets)

Darren Cowley and South African youngster Gareth Schreuder launched a brutal assault on the Bournemouth bowlers at Chapel Gate, to set up a two-wicket win for Lymington over the Lions and a second consecutive ECB Southern Premier Division victory for the visitors.

The 43-year-old left-hand all-rounder Cowley hit three sixes and seven fours in a dominating 90-run partnership with Schreuder, who’s disciplined 61 was equally important as Lymington chased down Bournemouth’s 196 with time to spare.

Bournemouth’s initial progress was checked by a superb spell of new ball bowling by Matt Metcalfe (2-18), who extracted movement off the Chapel Gate surface and accounted for Jake Hurley and skipper Luke Webb, who had struck a boundary strewn 141 in the Lions’ win at Basingstoke the previous week.

Luke Matthews (49) steadied the ship, adding useful runs with Tom Robinson (24), but a more promising 82-2 became 116-5 after Cowley (3-48) broke through with his left-arm spin.

Simon Woodruff (35) and Jake Gordon (25) rallied, but Bournemouth’s 196 was arguably 25 runs short of a competitive target.

Brilliant batting

The visitors slipped to 30-2, but middle-order batsman Schreuder added 60 with Ryan Scott (24) and was content to play a supporting role when Cowley arrived at the crease after Scott departed to dominate proceedings.

Rediscovering glimpses of his form of old, Cowley scored 46 of his 61 runs in boundaries and with Schreuder alongside took Lymington to within sight of victory at 183-4 when the visitors lost three wickets in quick succession.

Metcalfe and bowler Daniel Cox eventually saw the visitors over the line to claim a two-wicket victory.