Portland RED TRIANGLE 227-9 (19pts) beat BEAMINSTER 206-8 (9pts) by 21 runs

PORTLAND Red Triangle wrapped up their Dorset Division One home programme with a 21-run success over Beaminster at Reforne.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, the islanders got off to a good start, scoring 60-0 off the first ten overs.

And it looked like the hosts would set a big total until the in-form Dave Blackman was left bemused when adjudged leg before on 11 with only his wicketkeeping counterpart Richard Bugler appealing for the decision.

This triggered a typical Portland middle order collapse with Ross Baker (4-56) ripping out their top order, and when Stuart Lindsay bowled John Dixon with his first delivery of the afternoon, the hosts were reeling at 71-5.

But Hayden White then rescued the situation and built up a couple of very useful partnerships with Jason Styles (19) and Simon Barrett (40). White hit a glorious 55 full of powerful boundaries including a huge six hit that landed across the main road and in Royal Manor School's playing field.

Beaminster added to their own demise by giving away countless wides and no balls which resulted in them being docked three overs from their run chase.

Although the visitors got off to a steady start in reply to Triangle's 227-9, a couple of run outs and some tight bowling in the middle session of their innings left Bugler (96) struggling to keep pace with a growing run rate.

However, it was a great effort on the visiting keeper's part and few would have denied him his century.

In the end Beaminster were left to rue those lost overs with their chase coming to close 18 balls early.

Red Triangle skipper John Ryan said: "It was good to wrap up our home fixtures with a win and it's nice to avenge our last ball defeat down at Beaminster earlier in the summer.

"At one time it didn't look like we would be setting them a target to chase, but in came Hayden to play his best innings of the season."

He added: "All in all it was a good victory although Beaminster were kicking themselves over losing those three overs because that made all the difference."