Lymington's Dan Cox with sparkling six-wicket haul in win against Hook & Newnham
SPL Premier Division
Hook & Newnham CC I 114
Lymington I 117-2
LYMINGTON'S unpredictable form took a turn for the better as Dan Cox starred with six wickets to help secure a dominant win at the King George V Playing Field.
Cox's remarkable haul, which came at the cost of 33 runs, helped skittle Hook & Newnham Basics for just 114 after Lymington fielded a strong side with players returning from injury.
True to form, Lymington captain Terry Crabb lost the toss, and the opposition chose to bat on a breezy afternoon on a good, hard pitch. The choice seemed wise, with Hook racing to 68 thanks to Ben Thane (35) and Harry Warner (29). But then the collapse, as eight wickets fell for just 21 runs in 17 overs, including six maidens on the trot as spinner Dan Cox and opening bowler James Hartshorn (3-33) ripped through the batting.
Terry Crabb took two catches in the slips, with Josh Royan getting one and Ali Wheble, agile as always with the gloves, making a stumping.
The resistance from the late-order batters was brief as Lewis Watts (13 not out) and Aniket Davecha (19) put on 25 for the ninth wicket before Cox finished off the tail.
Guy Layman (1-32) took the other wicket while four Hook batters succumbed to ducks.
The Lymington batters made light work of the reply. After picking up a groin injury in the first game of the season, Ryan Scott (46 not out) returned to the side despite having little practice, let alone a warm-up match. He provided a backbone to the batting lineup and soon found his touch to finish with seven fours and two sixes, including one to end the game.
Josh Royan (23 not out) also found the boundary five times to partner with Scott in an unbroken 50-run partnership. Before then, Terry Crabb (9) had fallen to Lewis Watts (1-10) and Ben Rogers (29), in a more patient knock than usual, fell to Aniket Divecha (1-27). Rogers and Scott put on 49 for the second wicket.
After 23.1 overs, the game was all over, giving Lymington yet another early finish for the third week running.
Lymington host bottom-of-the-table Bournemouth on Saturday in a timed game which starts at 11am.
