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MAINSTAY: Nick Park

DELIGHTED skipper Craig de Weywarn hailed the efforts of Nick Park as Bournemouth registered a second successive win by easing to a six-wicket victory over St Cross Symondians.

Opener Park eclipsed illustrious team-mates Paul Prichard and Darren Cowley and was the mainstay of the Bournemouth reply as they chased down 180 at Chapel Gate.

The 22-year-old Dorset star claimed the batting plaudits with an unbeaten 81 after Cowley had perished first ball and former Essex skipper Prichard had made just 12.

De Weymarn said: "Nick was superb and he really applied himself. He gave away one chance during his innings and really made them pay for not taking it.

"He held our innings together. At one point, we were around 80 for four and really needed someone to knuckle down and get their head down. He certainly did that for us.

"He batted excellently and we are going to be looking to him to make a big contribution throughout the rest of the season as well."

De Weywarn added: "Darren Cowley and Paul Prichard are both very important players for us and we still managed to come home quite comfortably even though neither of them really performed with the bat.

"It's comforting and reassuring to know that we've got players around them who can make things happen on the day and that was probably the most pleasing aspect of the game."

De Weymarn was also pleased with the performance of Simon Ridley who seized his chance by claiming three wickets after being called up to bolster the bowling resources.

"He's a good wicket-to-wicket bowler," said de Weymarn. "He did a job for us in the middle part of their innings and also kept it tight at the end. He bowled well and certainly deserved his place."

De Weymarn added: "We gave them 10 or 15 more runs than we should have.

"It would have been nice to have chased 150 or 160 as opposed to 180.

"But we stuck to our task well, restricted them and the wickets came eventually. I thought we also performed well in the field."

Following comfortable wins over St Cross and Hursley Park, Bournemouth's title credentials are likely to face a sterner test when they travel to Totton and Eling in five days' time.

De Weymarn described Totton and Eling's surprise defeat by South Wilts on Saturday as an "interesting result", but added: "It will be a different test for us away from home and they have got some great individual players."

MILTON SUFFER LOSS

BIG guns Greg Fotheringham and Dave Wheeler both fired a rare blank as newly-promoted New Milton suffered a six-wicket defeat against Havant II at Havant Park.

South African Fotheringham and former Hampshire Academy all-rounder Wheeler collected second and third-ball ducks, respectively, as New Milton failed to post a challenging total.

Stalwart Iain Griffiths top-scored with 30, while Dan Loader chipped in with 24 down the order to leave Havant requiring a modest 138 for victory.

And despite the best efforts of former Parley Sports seamer Eric Linge, Andy Perry (52) and Sam Walker (33) ensured Havant coasted to a second successive victory.

New Milton skipper Ryan Beck, who has seen Linge concede just 18 runs in as many overs this season, said: "We didn't get enough runs and were about 50 short.

"If Greg and Dave could have both scored 20, it could have been a different game. We bowled and fielded well and so did they.

"I don't think we were beaten by a better side."

7:36pm Sunday 11th May 2008

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