Lymington grab first win of the season with victory over Totton and Eling

SPL Premier Division
Lymington CC 167
Totton & Eling CC 145

LYMINGTON got their first win in a game which could have gone either way at newly-promoted Totton & Eling, who already had two victories under their belt.

Short of three of their top batters, Lymington made heavy weather of it and once again could not bat out the full 50 as lower order got out to some injudicious shots.

Totton & Eling captain Sam Bracey won the toss, and Lymington were asked to bat first for the third consecutive game, this time on a slow wicket at Southern Gardens.

In another breezy knock (21 in 22 balls), Ben Rogers opened with Hampshire Academy's Kamran Dhariwal (10) as they put on 31 for the first wicket. Both were then out to overseas player Jaidel Richardson (3-17), bowling with pace in two tight spells.

The middle-order was then out cheaply, except for Josh Royan, as Lymington found themselves on 91-6 before Royan found a reliable partner in Ben Attrill (21), despite the latter having an injured shoulder. Together, they put on 49 runs with Royan playing a patient and disciplined knock, just missing his half-century with 46 from 94 balls, and the innings then subsided on 167.

Brighton Mugochi (4-32) was especially difficult to play against with his left-arm spin, while fellow opening bowler Thomas Varney (2-47) was the other leading wicket-taker.

Going in to bat, Totton & Eling did not make it easy for themselves with half the side out with only 34 runs on the board. Opening bowlers James Hartshorn (3-42), who finally got his line and length right in two fiery spells, and Guy Layman (3-18), with his uncanny accuracy, got among the opposition.

Richardson (32 in only 29 balls) started to pull the innings around, helped by Sam Bracey (27), but it was then Dan Cox (4-37) in two good spells who got both batsmen out.

The dangerous Mugochi (41 not out in 24 balls) hit five fours and two sixes and could easily have won it for Totton, but he ran out of partners, and they fell 22 runs short.

The win was an extra wedding present for Lymington's stand-in captain Ben Rogers who celebrates his nuptials tomorrow (Saturday). Usual captain Terry Crabb is suffering from an Achilles injury.

Lymington are next in action against Havant at the Lymington Sports Ground tomorrow at 12.30pm.