BOURNEMOUTH old boys Darren Cowley and Matt Metcalfe heaped more misery on their former club as Lymington coasted to a seven-wicket victory at the Sports Ground.

Metcalfe, who won the title with Bournemouth in 2010, worked in tandem with Simon Beetham to prevent the Lions getting up a head of steam after they had made an encouraging start.

And Cowley, a former Bournemouth skipper, then weaved his magic to rip out the middle order, nipping in the bud any hopes the visitors had of setting a commanding total.

“The bowlers set up the win,” said Lymington skipper Ali Jaffer, whose undefeated 74 helped ease the hosts home off 36 overs.

“They have all done well this season and put in another good shift. Darren took four wickets but the seamers probably softened them up. Simon Beetham claimed the big wicket of Alex Keath after he had tried one shot too many and we stuck to our game plan, kept our cool and just kept doing the basics.”

Depleted Bournemouth arrived at the Sports Ground with a makeshift bowling attack and were then asked to bat first.

Aussie Keath (32) was the mainstay of a 45-run opening partnership with Dom Hand (27) as Bournemouth moved on to a respectable 102 for three.

However, although Ben Rogers (37), Will Old (32) and Curtis Watton (23) all chipped in, Lymington continued to make in-roads.

Bournemouth’s miserable luck was summed up when Old was trapped in front by Cowley, with an audible nick on to his pads failing to prevent the batsman becoming the victim of a debatable umpiring decision.

Cowley (4-22), Metcalfe (3-56) and Beetham (2-56) all finished with impressive figures as Bournemouth were dismissed for 176 – the joint highest score at the Sports Ground this season.

And with Lymington having suffered collapses in their two previous games, the Lions must have scented a whiff of victory, even though their resources were stretched to the limit.

Although Cameron Grierson perished first ball when he put a Keath delivery down Martin Miller’s throat at mid-on, Lymo’s Aussie Scott Henry took to the Bournemouth attack from the off.

Henry (74) – spilled by the luckless Old on 51 – and Jaffer shared a second-wicket stand of 144 to take Lymington to the brink of victory with the skipper dropping anchor to see them over the line (Keath 3-81).

Lions captain Miller said: “It was a catalogue of misfortune in the lead-up to the game. We lost a series of bowlers and turned up with a weakened attack.

“I said to the players that 176 was the highest score anybody had made at Lymington this season and we knew we would have to be in that ball-park to give ourselves a chance. As it proved, it was probably 100 short.

“Although we achieved our initial goal, it was always going to be difficult with the bowling attack we had. If we hadn’t dropped Scott Henry, I think that would have put a lot more pressure on their lower order.

“Our guys gave 100 per cent again and I couldn’t fault their attitude and energy. We are just not getting the breaks.”