PORTLAND RT SECONDS 186-6 (20pts) beat BRADFORD ABBAS 168 (10pts) by 18 runs

PORTLAND Red Triangle Seconds showed great character to edge this pulsating encounter at Bradford Abbas.

David Males (80 not out) and Laurie West (43) laid the foundations for a competitive total of 186 with an opening stand of 84, but the hosts were soon making in-roads in reply.

Tom Dalkins removed A Reed for a duck with the fourth ball of the innings but after that T Hodge (77) came in and forged two 50-plus partnerships to completely turn the tables.

Requiring 82 to win with seven wickets still in hand, Bradford looked in complete control but when Hodge eventually fell to a stunning catch in the deep from Ollie Thomas the game took another twist.

Skipper Jodie Locke followed up by clean bowling G Phippen (29) before 15-year-old off-spinner Matt Barrett (3-38) bamboozled the rest of the line up to hand his side an 18-run victory.

Locke said: “We were made to work hard and at times it may have looked like the game was slipping away from us, but we never gave up, stayed focused and battled hard.

“Matt bowled with great maturity and as for Ollie’s catch, well, what can I say – it was fantastic.

“Everyone on the team gave 100 per cent and came good when the chips were down.”

The islanders now sit fourth in Dorset League Division Five North & West just 16 points adrift of the top two.