SHERBORNE II 227-3 (20pts) beat ABBOTSBURY 153 (7pts) by 74 runs

ABBOTSBURY suffered a second successive defeat in County Division Three as the Swans came up 74 runs short away to a strong Sherborne Seconds outfit.

Sherborne skipper and opening batter Andrew Guppy won the toss and elected to bat first under cloudy skies at the Terrace.

With a fast outfield and good batting on display he and fellow opener Adam Smith put on 69 before Avid Alam (2-48) replaced fellow paceman Chas Duerdoth (0-51) in attack and clean bowled Guppy (22) in his second over.

However, the incoming Emlyn Kuhn (39) proved to be an equally tough nut to crack and the Sherborne score moved on to 154 before off-spinner Simon Pengelly (1-30) trapped Kuhn lbw.

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Abbotsbury’s recent malaise of dropping catches continued as five of varying difficulty were spilled and only one more wicket was taken when Alam returned for a second spell to bowl Andy Pinkawa (20).

Smith carried his bat for Sherborne to score an impressive unbeaten 120 as the home side posted 227 for the Swans to chase.

However, the Swans got off to the worst possible start as this season’s leading runscorer Pengelly was bowled by an away swinger from Denham (2-21) for a duck and Ashley Harrow (4) was then pinned lbw with the total on eight in the fifth over.

The attack-minded Duerdoth helped the score on to 42 before Nick Kneebone (10) chopped on to his stumps attempting to cut.

Skipper David Worsdell was next to the crease and he and Duerdoth put on a useful partnership of 55.

However, after walloping seven fours and a massive six, Duerdoth mistimed one to be easily caught after having survived a chance earlier in his innings.

Ben Wood (4) was next to fall, stumped off the bowling of Guppy (4-13) and despite the efforts of Worsdell (35) and Pankaj Nikale (21), plus the assistance of further dropped catches, the Abbotsbury tail offered little resistance as the Swans were bowled out for a disappointing 153 in the 36th over.

Next up for the Swans is a home match against Kingston Lacy today (1.30pm).

Just seven points separate Abbotsbury in fourth and Lacy in seventh.