INJURY, illness, holiday and working commitments saw Dinton travel to Andover with just eight men, but still returned victors winning by eight runs, writes RICHARD CRIDGE.

The visitors batted first and made a positive start Tom Patrick in particular was in attacking mood. He added 34 for the first wicket with Rich Cridge before he was bowled for 24.

James Nuttall then joined his skipper Cridge at the wicket and the pair batted carefully as the home bowling found a better line.

Although the pitch was playing as well as many could remember it still had the odd surprise in it as Cridge was bowled by one that barely bounce at shoe lace height.

Andover fought their way back in the match as Dinton slumped from 71-1 to 92-4 in the space of eight overs.

But 15-year-old Nuttall was playing with maturity beyond his years and with the support of Dan Syckelmoore (31) they started to wrestle the initiative back Dinton’s way.

The pair added a further 47 until on the brink of a first 50 Nuttall played across the line to a short ball and was bowled for 45 with the score on 139 with 12 overs to go.

Andover’s young attack lost their way a bit as Syckelmoore and Andy Nuttall added 47 before the former was bowled for 31.

Alfie Cridge promoted to the dizzy heights of number eight managed to hang around with Nuttall until on the cusp of 200 and maximum batting points Nuttall was bowled for 41. The Dinton innings closing on 198.

All the Andover bowlers worked hard but it was Firth who got the most reward for his efforts taking 4 -31 from seven overs.

With only eight men in the field Dinton knew they were going to have to put in a shift as they was a lot of ground to cover.

They had the best possible start James Nuttall (2-23) backing his effort up with the bat took two wickets in the first over.

From here the match swung backward and forward between the two team. as 45 runs were added for the third wicket Sunny (22) batting well in partnership with his skipper Charlie Palmer.

But as soon as Andover were looking like pushing home their advantage the visitors struck back with four wicket wickets leaving the home side 80-4.

But again the match was not over with Palmer batting well and as long has he was at the crease he looked like winning the game for his side.

Dinton unsurprising were by now starting the struggle to maintain a grip on the game as Palmer while dispatching anything loose to the boundary was also able to pick of singles almost at will. Dinton brought back there opening bowlers to try to remove Palmer.

The plan work as Cridge (1-40) finally induced a mistake from Palmer bowling him for a fine 84.

Dan Sycklemoore (2-32) took two further wickets leaving the match on a knife edge with 12 runs needed from the final two overs with one wicket in hand.

Three runs were scrabbled of this but when a mix up between the final two batsman resulted in a run out Dinton won by eight runs.

It will be a game that will live long in the memory.

Dinton host Totton III on Saturday hoping to field 11 players to make their life a little easier.