BRIDPORT 55 (2pts) lost to CATTISTOCK 56-5 (18pts) by five wickets

ANOTHER poor batting display saw Bridport suffer a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Cattistock at Charlton Down Cricket Club.

Taking to the crease first, the West Dorset outfit managed just 55 and although they reduced the hosts to 12-4 at one stage, they were unable to complete the turnaround in the second innings.

Martin Langford was the key man for Cattistock, taking 7-16 and top scoring with 27 not out, but Bridport were still left to reflect what might have been.

Losing skipper Liam Toohill said: “We lost the toss and were put in, and we were confident of putting on a competitive score as we had a strong team out with a line-up of batsmen that are all more than capable.

“Unfortunately, we got off to a bad start when I was caught behind and from that point on we failed to put partnerships together.

“Dom Gape was run out when he was called through for a second run that wasn’t there and it wasn’t until Ash Nicholls and Mark Smith came together that we started to turn it around.

“They both looked comfortable at the crease with Ash hitting a wonderful six over extra cover before Mark was trapped leg before by Bradley Damen.

“That marked the start of the end and we lost our last five wickets for just 11 runs.

“Ashley made a hard-fought 14 before he was unlucky to be caught by Roe behind the stumps, low to his right.

“It was one of those catches you would only expect to be taken one out of 10 times.

“In reply, we knew we had to come out all guns blazing as we had nothing to lose.

“Dom started well by bowling a fast over which saw the ball up around the batsman’s ears.

“I then opened from the other end and despite bowling poorly with a few wides, I managed to bowl a couple of good balls to remove the two opening batsmen.

“Dom then managed to pick up two wickets to leave Cattistock on 12-4 and at that point we knew we had gained back a slim chance of winning the game.

“However, a fifth-wicket partnership bet-ween Langford and Robinson then took the game away from us.

“Our bowlers kept fighting but without reward with a couple of dropped catches at slip, balls falling short and others finding the gaps.

“Had we taken one of the three or four opportunities we had to get Langford out when he was still in single figures, we would have had a great chance of snatching a victory.

“Marcel Grunschloss managed to pick up the fifth wicket but by that time they only needed eight runs to win.”

Having scored just 57 in their Dorset League Division Three opener against Winton Seconds the previous week, it is clear where Bridport need to improve ahead of this weekend’s home clash against Portland Red Triangle.

Toohill added: “Our batting display on Saturday was poor and there are no excuses for that.

“It is something we will have to work on in the nets this week but the way we came out and bowled in the second innings was fantastic.

“The bowlers gave all they could and the team morale was high.”