Towns, batting first on a green pitch at the Recreation ground did well to defend 76 against Bluff Pt.

Bluff Point captain Ben McMillan won the toss and not surprisingly sent Towns in though Towns captain John Elliman would have batted first anyway.

Towns made just 76. It would have been worse but for handy runs from Elliman (24) who along with opener Mel Gallagher (12) was the only Towns bat to notch double figures.

There was plenty of sideways movement and Damien McRae (4-12), George Daly (3-13) and Carl Shilling (2-30) made the most of it.

Despite the conditions, 77 to win was obviously gettable but the Pointers, missing over half their first-choice players, couldn’t meet the challenge and slipped to a miserable 8-29 in the reply.

They had no answer to Gerard Marquis (3-27) and spinner Paul Kennedy (5-14 off 10 overs) though McRae (24), one to keep an eye on, did provide hope with a 37-run stand with Scott Hishon.

But both fell to Elliman (2-8 off 8.3 overs) and Bluff Point was all out for 68.