ANOTHER exceptional bowling performance paved the way for Rowledge’s emphatic victory against Bournemouth in the Southern Premier League Division One.

Having elected to bat, Rowledge were quickly 30-2, having lost Nick Morant ‘shouldering arms’ and Chris Board caught at mid-on to the steady swing of Andy Woodward.

Sushant Balajee, promoted to opener, played positively and looked in fine form until he was caught behind off Elliot Guest for 37 after a stand of 50 with David Lloyd.

The Bournemouth spinners then bowled for the rest of the innings, young Dom Clutterbuck being the pick of the bunch with 3-31 off his ten overs.

Ian Metcalfe and Lloyd were the key to Rowledge getting a competitive total and Metcalfe, in particular, looked to take on the spinners during their partnership of 60. The pair looked easily the most comfortable batsmen on a spinning track, with Lloyd making 39 and Metcalfe a run-a-ball 47.

The lower order nudged, and nurdled some useful runs and Rowledge mustered 194 all out with seven balls remaining.

Bournemouth’s reply started in particularly turgid fashion. On a track that was giving increasingly excessive spin and bounce, they very quickly fell behind the rate, with hapless skipper Martin Miller managing just two runs from 17 overs.

Once Richard Forbes had finished his miserly spell, it was all about spin as George Keeley and Lloyd reeled off 20 overs for combined figures of 6-36, troubling all the batsmen and regularly inducing chances.

Robert Pack launched a couple of lusty sixes before falling to Balajee who mopped up the tail with 4-27 in 8.1 overs as Bournemouth subsided to 93 all out in the 40th over.

Rowledge will need another strong display when they visit Basingstoke & North Hants this Saturday.