Brockenhurst CC go to the wire in final title-decider
Regional Division 1 SW: Dorset Indians CC 215-9 v Brockenhurst CC 195-8 (Reduced target: 192 off 33 overs) (Brockenhurst CC win by two wickets)
BROCKENHURST clinched the Regional Division South West 1 league title with a last-ball victory over second-placed Dorset Indians in Branksome.
With rain forecast, Dorset Indians won the toss and elected to bat. Uddin opened with Siva, and after a maiden by Loganathan, Siva cracked 16 off Jarvis’ first over underscoring their intent, with Uddin slicing two additional fours in Jarvis’ second over.
Shears took an excellent catch on the cover boundary to dismiss Uddin with Dorset Indians to 31-1 after six overs.
Rain fell at drinks after 21 overs, and the delay resulted in Brockenhurst losing seven overs. After the stoppage, Srivastava proceeded to bowl an excellent line and length, restricting Dorset to just 10 runs off his first five overs.
Dorset Indians’ Lewis powerfully accelerated the scoring, hitting five sixes and three fours before skying a catch to Rogers off Broad to extinguish the threat with Dorset concluding their innings on 215-9 after 40 overs.
With the rain-revised target of 192 off 33 overs, Williams opened with Le Boutillier, before succumbing for nine with the score on 18 in the seventh over. Le Boutillier kept the pressure up by striking two sixes to reach his 50, before being bowled by Rastogi for 52 with the score on 119-4 after 22 overs.
Loganathan had played with increasing and resolute determination as his teammates fell by the wayside and, in a Stokesesque gesture, failed to acknowledge his 50 as his searing focus was to bring the title home.
With 14 required off the final over, Loganathan nonchalantly clipped skipper Kumar’s first ball over square leg for six, with the next two legside deliveries dot balls.
Loganathan hammered the fourth ball back over the bowler’s head into the car park. The next delivery was adjudged a wide, levelling the scores with two balls to bowl.
A dot ball was followed by a magnificent last-ball hook for four which the fielder, squinting into the setting sun, had no chance of stopping, victoriously concluding Brockenhurst’s 33-over innings on 195-8 and, with it, the Regional Division South West 1 league title.
