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B.A.T.Sports' championship crown knocked by super-charged Bournemouth
Mike Vimpany - 27 May 2002
Bournemouth knocked BAT's ECB Southern Electric Premier League championship crown adjar with an unexpected 19-run victory at Southern Gardens.
It was Bournemouth's first win of a weather-dogged start to the season but, more significantly, the second time in three weeks that the defending champions had been beaten.
Bournemouth, in particular teenage left-arm spinner Chris Cole, did well to defend a relatively modest 175-8 off 50 overs, although BAT contributed in many ways to their own downfall.
The title holders missed the boat after requiring 67 runs for victory off the last 16 overs with six wickets intact and were bowled out for 156.
But while BAT skipper Dave Banks groaned about the general manner his batsmen had gone about the run chase, Matt Swarbrick quickly heaped praise on his own players, who had to field in cold, damp and generally miserable conditions.
"It was pretty unpleasant having to field in the wind and drizzle - in fact, it was more like a winter's day - but we were focussed.
"The lads didn't allow BAT to get on top, even though an asking rate of four runs an over was never that excessive," he said.
Swarbrick believed that Chris Cole's eight over spell in the closing stages won the game for Bournemouth.
"Bowling at the end, Chris was under a great deal of pressure but he maintained a tight line throughout his spell and thoroughly deserved his 3-27 return."
Bournemouth certainly took the initiative after being put into bat, with Swarbrick himself cutting lose as the visitors posted 66 runs off the initial 12 overs after being put into bat.
Richard Scott, opening in place of Somerset prospect Tom Webley, perished at 37, but Swarbrick launched into anything lose, square-cutting Kirk Stewart for six and thudding a subsequent straight hit off Australian Michael Watson into the top of the sight screen.
Playing only their second May game, Bournemouth lurched to 79-3 when Swarbrick (42) and Andy Bell fell in the space of three balls - both to evergreen left-arm spinner Terry Rawlins - in the 22nd over.
They were never able to regain the momentum after that double setback, with Martin Miller struggling to force the pace for much of a lengthy sojourn at the crease.
Rawlins, cleverly using the wind to his advantage, proved almost impossible to get away - just one scoring shot coming off the last 30 deliveries of a superbly flighted ten-over spell, in which he conceded a mere nine runs.
Geoff Warrington (20) and David Kidner (18) got the scoring rate moving again but, to his credit, Miller's 48 was to prove invaluable in the context of the game.
BAT Sports, beaten by arch title rivals Havant two weeks earlier, began positively, with 24 runs coming off the opening five overs.
But, against the experience of Richard Scott and the left-arm seam of Mark Mixer, it was to prove a false dawn.
"We scored only 25 runs off the next 12 overs," groaned BAT skipper Dave Banks, whose side promptly lost Richard Kenway (31) and Damian Shirazi in quick succession.
At the 25-over halfway point, BAT stood at 71-3 - Watson having perished to an unplayable 'shooter' from Mixer - but, despite an over cautious eye on the rain-bearing skies above, were seemingly in a decent position.
Chris Thomason (29) and Banks (27) did their bit, but Bournemouth continued to create inroads, BAT dipping to 106-5.
Arguably the key point came in the 41st over when some chaotic cricket on both sides culminated in a less-than-pleased Thomason being run out.
BAT promoted Dan Goldstraw up the order, but when the former Lymington left-hander became Cole's second victim, the end was nigh.
Cole, eager to catch the eye of the Hampshire Under-19 selectors after being sidelined for much of last season with a badly broken thumb, clean bowled his third victim, Dave Adams, before Scott trapped Richard Dibden leg before to secure a hard-earned 19-run victory for the visitors.
© SPCL
| Players/Umpires | David Banks, Matthew Swarbrick, Richard Scott, Thomas Webley, Kirk Stewart, Martin Miller, David Kidner, Richard Kenway, Damian Shirazi, Daniel Goldstraw. |
| Tournaments | Southern Electric Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |