Mixed fortunes for Elliott on their four-match tour of the Bournemouth area last week. But while they won the first and last of the matches and lost the middle two, things could have been a lot different given a bit more luck and save for a batting collapse.

First up was a 20/20 affair at Chrtstchurch, where Elliott rattled up 152-5, mainly thanks to a stand of 81 in just seven overs between Alan Ricketts (50) and Rod Moodley. Monish Shome weighed in with 23, while 35 extras helped lift the run rate beyond seven-and-a-half. Tight bowling by Robin Tyler and Mark Jasper put the home side behind the clock and when they tried to up the tempo Moodley took 4-14 with spinners which he reckoned were turning at least a yard. Suffice to say Christchurch wound up a long way short.

Game two was a cracker at Broadstone on Friday, a game dominated by batsmen and pinched by the home side with five balls and just two wickets in hand. Alex Coles was star of the show for Elliott, racking up his best- ever score of 122 and belting 15 fours and four sixes into the bargain. Ian Crickmore (38), Mark Jasper, Mike Ling and Mike Trowell offered support and the bowlers had a tota] of 257 to defend. Unfortunately for them, Broadstone also had a centurion in their ranks and even though Ling claimed 5-50, J Powell's unbeaten 137 swung things his team's way and the tourists were edged out.

If they could have won that one, they should have won against another touring side, Medbourne, on Saturday. For a start they allowed their opponents to recover from 5-3 and 59-5 to total 225-9 and they then managed to somehow throw it all away when seemingly poised for victory. Coles hit 12 fours in a lightning 66 and with Mark Jasper he added 94 for the fourth wicket. Alan Ricketts (33), Ian Crickmore and Steve Swindell also scored freely, but the latter was left stranded as five wickets tumbled for eight runs in 16 balls and his side wound up just 14 short.

The tour ended on a high note, though. A very high note as they won by a resounding 150-runs margin at Brockenhurst on Sunday. Mark Jasper and Adam Ling both struck 14 fours and three sixes in innings of 92 and 88 respectively, Trowell weighed in with 41, Ricketts 35 not out and 279 was the massive target facing the home team. For thee second match running the opposition were reduced to 5-3, but there was no way back for Brockenhurst as Moodley took 6-48 and they were dismissed a long, long way short.