PAVILION SPORTS 214 (7pts) lost to Portland RED TRIANGLE 218-4 (20pts) by six wickets

PORTLAND Red Triangle confounded the form book to upset Pavilion Sports and stay out of the relegation zone.

The third-from-bottom islanders lost the toss at Reforne but they dismissed the in-form visitors for a respectable 214 before chasing down the runs with six wickets left in the hutch.

Pavilion Sports had entered the match on the back of a hat-trick of Dorset League Division Three victories but left nursing their first defeat since June 5.

For Portland, their third triumph of the season extinguished a run of two successive defeats and kept them narrowly ahead of closest pursuers Bridport, who they face at Brewery Field this Saturday (2pm).

Skipper Matt Gomm, who was understandably delighted to have picked up maximum points, said: “Pavilion had not dropped a point for three games so to beat them is hugely satisfying.

“The boys know there are still some aspects of our game which we must improve on sooner rather than later, but this result will give us huge confidence going into this weekend’s game at Bridport.”

Pavilion Sports had raced to a promising 71 without loss before the introduction of Chris Leake (3-63) brought about the initial breakthrough.

Although wickets then tumbled regularly throughout the innings, the visitors still maintained a healthy run-rate and had reached 214 when their final man was out.

Portland’s reply started well before two quick wickets – those of Simon Proffitt (15) and Callan Laws (16) – gave Pavilion Sports some impetus.

Veteran batsmen Simon Barrett (48) and Gareth Price (21) entered the fray and together they compiled a 50-run partnership that brought the game back into the balance.

Both men departed but with Dave Adkins (23no) and the aggressive Leake (69no) at the crease, the islan-ders eased to their target with an unbroken match-winning stand of 106.