Devon Dumplings v Basingstoke & Hants

Yet another lovely summer’s day for probably the first ever game at Abbotskerswell. Dumplings had

struggled to raise a team and Abbotskerswell had provided two youngsters who were duly presented with their Dumplings caps. The opposition lent us a wicket-keeper, a bowler (who then batted in the same innings), and two others, one fielding for a time as one Dumpling had broken down in the car park in town.

Basingstoke & N Hants won the toss and elected to bat and our stand-in bowler Kieran Purnell promptly dispatched his erstwhile team-mate, clean bowling David Price. After 7 overs they were 38 for 3. Ethan O’Donoghue joined Matt Donaldson at the crease and they put on 115 for the 4th wicket. Donaldson was bowled by youngster Alfie Harrison. Soon after O’Donoghue had to retire, and the middle of the innings was very much restricted by three wickets falling to Umashankar Gangatkar and Paul Berman bowling 6 overs for 18. However O’Donoghue then returned at the fall of the 9th wicket with the score on 229/9 and the last two bowlers conceded 68 runs in the final eight overs. O’Donoghue and Captain AK Sankaranarayanan took the score to 280 for 9 , O’Donoghue finishing 103 no off just 67 balls. There had been quite a lot of time spent searching for balls in the hedge.

In reply Dumplings enjoyed a first wicket partnership of 115 between Harry Everett and Gangatkar   ( 67).  Everett went on to make 51. Harry Kandampully chipped in with 44 and the two youngsters Alfie Harrison (28) and Harrison Vickery (21) batted well making useful contributions, but it was in vain as the final score fell 25 runs short.

Many thanks to Abbotskerwell for making us so welcome and to Judy Jolliffe and Wendy Hardy for providing a splendid tea.

Basingstoke & North Hants: 280 for 9 (O-Donoghue 103*, Donaldson 46 – Gangatkar 3/25)

Devon Dumplings: 255 for 8 (Gangatkar 67, Everett 51, Kandampully 44 – Donaldson 2/20)

WH