Rain from tea time onwards put an end to Lymington’s efforts to overcome Bournemouth at the sports ground last Saturday. A helpful wicket and a bowling masterclass from Gareth Berg (6-23) put the side in control but any positive result was not to be.

Berg firstly bowled James Van Gool (3) with only 3 on the board. Bournemouth’s leading run scorer this season, Luke Webb (14), was the next to go as keeper Conor Moors took a diving catch off the bowling of Josh Royan (1-19). There was then another pacey performance from Alvin Cameron (2-39) including the dangerous overseas player Aidan Mayer (7) bowled through sheer speed while also having other batters playing and missing. By then Bournemouth had been reduced to 60-3.

However, opening batsman and keeper Ben Rogers (67 runs in 125 balls) with a patient and disciplined knock was holding up the Lymington attack. He was joined by captain Simon Woodruff (53) as they put on 75 for the fourth wicket in a partnership that lasted 27 overs. Rogers was then out caught by Asad Abbas off the bowling of Jude Tollerfield (1-32) much to the relief of Josh Royan who had dropped an easy catch a few balls earlier.

Woodruff then partnered Tom Robinson (16) as they put on 31 runs for the fifth wicket before Cameron had Robinson lbw. The Bournemouth innings then collapsed with the last six wickets falling for just 26 runs with Berg taking five of them. This now puts Berg in fourth position of leading wicket takers in the Premier Division with 22 at an average of just 13.95 also the fourth highest.

The Bournemouth total of 192 runs hardly seemed enough given Lymington’s strong batting line-up. Yet with rain on the way the Lymington innings only lasted 6.5 overs. Josh Royan (6) was soon out lbw to Cole Rushforth (1-15). Jovan Dhariwal (10 not out) and Ryan Scott (7 not out) were then getting going but it was not to last as the adverse weather settled in for the rest of the evening.

This coming Saturday Lymington have an away clash against St Cross Symondians at the Green Jackets ground in St Cross in Winchester.