BOURNEMOUTH skipper Chris Park is happy to see his players continue to party hard – because it means they are winning.

Opener Ben Bridgen led the way with a finely-crafted 70 as Lions registered a 23-run victory over Hook & Newnham Basics at Chapel Gate.

Bridgen’s first significant contribution of the season helped bring up a hat-trick of wins as Bournemouth remained among the early pacesetters in Division One.

His knock followed disappointing single-figure returns in victories over Rowledge and Portsmouth – and came after a night on the tiles.

Captain Park told the Daily Echo: “Ben batted beautifully. He would be the first to admit he had not been in form in our first two games but it was a lovely innings.

“After the game, he told the lads in our fines meeting that he had been out in Wimborne last night until the early hours.

“I am not sure it is the right match preparation but I will let him off because he scored runs!”

Park, who clubbed an unbeaten 46 from 32 balls in the win, added: “We have a number of young players in the team and the guys who haven’t got families like to burn the candle at both ends.

“In the past couple of weeks after victories, Jake Hurley has led a merry group into Bournemouth. He has taken the young lads under his wing and shown them the clubs and the early hours.

“It is becoming a bit of a tradition. If we win, the lads all seem to get together and end up in Bournemouth until the early hours celebrating quite hard. Long may it continue!”

Bridgen and Nick Park (43) shared 119 for the first wicket as Bournemouth posted 221 for five – their third total in excess of 200 this season – in a game reduced to 46 overs each.

Dom Clutterbuck (3-45) snared three of the Hook top four – including dangerman Ben Thane and Matt Love – as the visitors were reduced to 54 for four.

However, a sixth-wicket stand of 72 between Matt Buckingham (55) and Josh Buckingham (33) threatened to undo all of Bournemouth’s good work as Hook reached 140 for five.

But Simon Woodruff (2-32) split the pair when he had Josh Buckingham caught by Chris Bollom before Chris Park snaffled Josh Buckingham off the bowling of Rob Pack (3-34).

With Jake Hurley (1-23) putting the brakes on at the end, Hook were stopped at 198 for nine.

Skipper Park added: “We bowled well at the top of the order and restricted runs quite heavily.

“But Hook had a middle-order rebuild and two lads cleared the ropes quite a few times.

“It was quite close until probably about six overs from the end when they needed about 70 and that was too many.

“Jake Hurley bowled well under pressure at the end, Rob Pack got some important wickets in the middle and so did Dom Clutterbuck.”