First home win of the season for ‘Ridgers

SHL Division Six

Sandridge 223-9 dec

Bentley Heath 202

Sandridge win by 21 runs

SANDRIDGE finally secured a first home win of the season on Saturday against Bentley Heath. Sandridge skipper Peter Camm probably made the wrong decision to bat first on a very dry track which gave an advantage to the new ball bowlers. When Camm was dismissed for a duck and opening partner Andy Norman also falling early the decision was looking even worse. Ian Merryfield (26) counter attacked but at 75-5 the ‘Ridgers were in trouble. However, at the other end Paul Rothery had been compiling runs fairly quickly and his partnerships of 48 with Rob Corran (13) and 83 with Kevin Murphy (25*) turned the game on its head. Rothery was eventually dismissed for a 118-ball 115, he found the boundary on 16 occasions in an excellent innings which took Sandridge to over 200 and an early declaration.

Bentley Heath made a positive start but Lennie Peters removed both openers with the score on 52. Dave Muskett clean bowled Heath’s number three and the momentum was now with Sandridge. Bentley Heath recovered and at 169-6 with 11 overs remaining they were now favourites. Rick Panting took a key wicket and Peters now back in the attack regained the initiative eventually finishing with 5-65. John Murphy 3-51 had the pleasure of taking the final wicket with two overs to spare.