SOUTH Portland’s winless run through the Portland and District Cricket Association’s 2018-19 season is officially over after an emotional victory against Portland Tigers on Saturday.
On the opening day of play at Cavalier Park in the round 11 match up, South Portland set a total of 132 – with Portland Tigers reaching stumps at 0-6.
South Portland’s win was set up off the back of an impressive opening session on Saturday, collecting five wickets and holding Tigers to less than 50 runs.
Tigers’ openers Ken Baker and Daniel Chisholm both returned to the crease, but it was a short lived partnership, with South’s Shaun Lench producing the wicket of Baker (0) with just the fourth ball of his first spell.
With confidence beginning to build, South’s Ash Turney kept the momentum rolling – removing Chisholm (4) in the next over to reduce Tigers to 2-9.
Two quick wickets brought Sam Davis and Josh Atwell to the crease for Tigers, adding 29 runs to the total before both were dismissed within a two-over period.
With the drinks break in sight, South Portland then produced one more key wicket – Michael Blomeley, caught on 4 – with Tigers heading into the first break with Daniel Falcone as the only key batsman left active and with more than half of the required runs still needed.