| With no league fixture and a youth development squad sent to do
battle with Bridport it was a somewhat unfamiliar Red Triangle
Sunday line up that faced Cattistock at Reforne. With first
team captain John Ryan guesting, his decision to ‘mix it
up’ meant that the players were in for some exciting times.
The first thing Ryan mixed up was the toss and Cattistock
captain Mike Swatridge chose to bat first on a perfect summer’s
day.
The openers got off to a solid start with young Golledge
resolute in defence and the captain capitalising on any
width that was offered. Ryan opted for a variety of bowlers
though it was the man himself who struck first removing
Golledge who was smartly caught by a diving Jones in the
covers. It was Jones who was to be top wicket taker in the
innings with 3 lower order victims to his name backed up
by Ryan who gained one less. Swatridge junior and Elliot
provided some resistance down the order but apart from Mike
Swatridge’s hard hit 65, Cattistock found the dry pitch
and inspired out-cricket of Portland, as ever with John
Ryan leading by example, tough opposition and the innings
closed on 184 after their 40 overs, perhaps 30 runs short
of a really challenging total.
The post tea preface, Joe Trevett being caught behind
first ball faced, was soon forgotten and Males and Quayle
moved the score along solidly if not spectacularly. Quayle
fell LBW after a 50 run partnership with Dave Males and
Grant Neven was not far behind him hitting the ball straight
in the air, a ball that if he had connected with properly
would have gone even higher. Scott Males played an innings
of two halves, square driving and leg glancing on his way
to an accomplished 33 but running out his father for a well-earned
40. It was left to Ryan and Trevett to come and go in a
flash with Dave Blackman steering the Islanders home with
a well-crafted 26 no. Pick of the Cattistock bowlers was
Buddy Langford, the Dorset over 50s star taking 3 for 20
from 7 overs.
All in all this was a good game, played in good spirits
and a useful exercise for Portland with John Ryan, first
team skipper, able to run his eye over all that the club
has to offer below the lofty heights of his Division One
outfit.
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