SPL Premier Division cricket: Berg-inspired Lymington cruise past Bournemouth

SPL Premier Division
Bournemouth CC 197
Lymington CC 198-4

LYMINGTON recorded their first back-to-back wins of the season to climb to fifth in the league with a six-wicket victory over Bournemouth.

Despite Bournemouth boasting a side with three county representatives, Northants player Gareth Berg dominated with the bat and ball to lead Lymington to victory.

Lymington captain Terry Crabb, who changed to a Swiss franc coin in a bid to change his luck, won the toss for only the second time this season and put Bournemouth in, knowing batting conditions tended to ease during the day – and so it proved.

Gareth Berg (3-40) and James Hartshorn (3-39) spearheaded the Lymington attack with aggressive bowling, and Bournemouth opener Tom Robinson (1) was soon back in the clubhouse, followed by Thomas Willoughby (20) and Ollie Shrubsole (8) as they slumped to 33-3.

Dorset players Simon Woodruff (50) and Luke Webb (66) then set out to repair the damage, putting on 83 runs for the fourth wicket until Woodruff was caught behind in the deep by Josh Royan.

Webb continued to anchor the Bournemouth innings in a knock which lasted 112 balls until he was ninth out.

Lymington's leading wicket-taker, Dan Cox, again got among the wickets but was more expensive than usual with 3-75 from his 16 overs.

In reply, openers Terry Crabb (30) and Ben Rogers (28) put on a solid opening partnership of 48 until teenage Australian Tom Willoughby (3-42), with his left-arm spin, got among the wickets, trapping Rogers LBW. He then took two in two balls, having Crabb caught and then bowling Ryan Scott (22).

However, Berg saved the Lymington blushes and found boundaries easy to come by, with seven fours in his innings of 36 before playing on to opening bowler Dan Conway (1-53). He and Josh Royan (23 not out) put on 45 for the fourth wicket.

Fellow teenager Kamran Dhariwal then joined Royan to see Lymington home with an unbroken 72-run partnership and plenty of overs to spare.

Dhariwal's contribution was 53 runs, including eight fours and two sixes, which earned him the Lymington player-of-the-match award, while Royan continued to anchor the Lymington innings with another disciplined knock.

Lymington hosts local rivals Bashley on Saturday at 11am.