FERNDOWN Wayfarers skipper Sanjay Lankage scented the sweet smell of success against former club Cranborne as the race for the Division One title was blown wide open.
Lankage presided over a convincing 75-run victory at Dolmans Farm as third-placed Ferndown Wayfarers kept the heat on second-placed Cran-borne and leaders St Georges.
The win owed much to an opening partnership of 117 between Craig McLean and James Raftery, while in-form all-rounder Eric Linge registered a fourth successive half-century.
McLean (72) and Raftery (40) laid the foundations before Linge (70) and Dean Elsworthy (34) put on 49 for the third wicket as the hosts piled up a formidable 278 for six.
And although Dan Adlem (84) and Charlie Arnold (40) offered some resistance, ever-reliable Robbie Stammas (3-49) led the way as Cranborne were dismissed for 203.
Lankage said: “A comfortable win and 19 points was just what we wanted. If we win our remaining four games, we should be in with a shout of the title.
“We won the toss and set a positive platform. James Raftery was always looking to rotate the strike and Craig McLean’s style of batting was no nonsense.
“Once Craig had departed, Eric Linge kept the momentum going and Dean Elsworthy took calculated risks, hitting the ball very cleanly.
“Robbie Stammas looked dangerous and picked up some early wickets to get us off to a good start before Dave Coombs bowled well at the death.
“Dan Adlem was the only Cranborne batsman to show any real fight and determination and, when he was caught and bowled by Karl Jensen, the game was all but over.”
Lankage was also keen to wish Cranborne all the best for the remainder of the season, while opposite number Dave Coy was left to rue the absence of unavailable Phil Park and Oli Hand.
“They are both influential players and I was still trying to put together a team at midday,” said Coy. “We knew their score was probably out of our reach so we set out to get 170 to gain the batting points. Dan Adlem was a class act and Charlie Arnold’s knock was his best of the season.”
• Net practice paid handsome dividends for Jonny Coombs and Alex Kennedy as Bournemouth eased their relegation fears with an 11-run victory over Swanage.
Kennedy, who skippers Bournemouth in Division Two of the SPL, had offered his team-mates a free net after winning it as a prize in a club night following their hammering by New Milton on Saturday.
And both Coombs (67) and Kennedy (57) came up trumps as Bournemouth posted 201 against Swanage at Chapel Gate (Dan Salmon 3-53, Paul Higham 2-27).
Although Ian Booth (72) and Ricky King (37) dug deep, Swanage were dismissed for 190 with Rob Smith (3-34), Jake Hurley (2-31) and Curtis Watton (2-38) among the wickets.
• Parley (218-8) boosted their survival hopes with a dramatic one-run victory over Henstridge (217), while St Georges (236-9) claimed top spot thanks to a 56-run triumph over Shillingstone (180).
