Triangle Win In Last Over Thriller

Chasing the Triangle total of 219-8, Tom Steadman’s excellent innings of 60 not out had left the visitors needing 11 to win, but the task proved beyond them as a previously uncharacteristically expensive Jan Davey restricted them to only 7 runs from the final over.

Earlier knocks by Gavin Lamb (49) and Hugh Bowden (27) had kept Weymouth up with the run rate, although they lost wickets at vital moments as Portland kept themselves in the game.

After losing the toss, Triangle were asked to bat by Weymouth skipper Raj Lehal and started well as Jan Davey (46) and Dave Blackman’s (42) opening partnership of 77 laid the foundations for a big score.

Simon Browne’s 59 kept the momentum going, but could possibly have been less when a good appeal for a caught behind was turned down when he was on 4. Triangle then stuttered in the middle of their innings as Lehal (4-32) and Graham Puckett (2-34) put the brakes on the islander’s run rate.

Wickets fell towards the end of the innings in a late quest for runs as opening bowlers Hutchens and Clark returned to take the key scalps of Browne and Jason Styles (27) as Portland closed on 219-8.

Triangle were effectively reduced to four bowlers after Bill Trevett aggravated his hamstring injury when collecting a golden duck, and debutant Chris Hardisty succumbed to first game nerves. Triangle looked to be gifting the game to the visitors after Hugh Bowden was dropped twice in successive overs, a dolly by Will Curtis and then skip JR pilled one of Browne. Some fine bowling at the death by Davey and skipper John Ryan ensured that Weymouth’s run chase proved to be in vain.