Cricket

DORSET SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION SIX

BOSCOMBE 187-7 (9pts) lost to BRIDPORT 190-9 (18pts) by one wicket

BRIDPORT are the team to beat according to skipper Chris Backhouse.

The bullish statement came after his team won their fourth consecutive match in the Dorset Sunday League at Boscombe on Sunday.

Bridport chased a tough 187 on a deteriorating wicket at Kings Park and reached their total with two balls to spare.

Chris Backhouse said: "We are the team everyone wants to beat.

"Even though we are not top of the league I think people realise that we should be.

"And I think people realise that when they have got to play Bridport they know that they will have a tough match."

It is Blandford who hold the top spot in the league with a superior average to the Brewery Ground outfit.

"They've played twice and got 40 points," said the captain.

"But they've probably played to of the weakest sides in the league.

Blandford have beaten Oakdale and Christchurch the latter were hammered by Bridport on the opening day of the season.

Chris Backhouse added: "You can see from our result against Christchurch they are not the strongest side.

"Blandford have done nothing to say hey look at us so I'm not really worried about them.

"A win against them a week on Sunday would prove a point to the rest of the teams."

He'll go into that game supremely confident after his side disposed of Boscombe.

Matt Sherring was the man who stood out for his captain on Saturday with a calm and patient knock of 64 to set up victory.

"The chap that stands out the most has got to be Matt because of his resilience, " said the all rounder.

"What we saw when we batted was a totally different wicket to the one we bowled on.

"Opening the batting on what I would describe as a deteriorating wicket I thought Matt did very well to grind out 64 runs.

"It basically won us the game in difficult circumstances."

Teenagers Will Everitt and Dan Jones supported Sherring as Bridport propelled themselves within touching distance of the win.

Chris Backhouse said: "Will found it tough to start off with but after a little bit of encouragement hit a very good 28.

"Him and Matt set us up to win the game."

However, when both Everitt and Sherring were dismissed a comedy of errors followed.

Three run outs in the space of a three runs gave Bridport a target of 11 runs from 22 deliveries.

The skipper put the mistakes down to panic but was glad to see veterans Dave Backhouse and John Brown push his side over the line.

"I couldn't watch the last over. I saw the first ball which was a dot and then just couldn't watch.

"I remember turning around to see John pulling the ball through mid-wicket for four at which point I went completely bonkers."

BOSCOMBE Hilton c Jones b Field 22 Price b Field 0 Butt c Atkins b C Backhouse 80 Hay b D Backhouse 0 Custard b C Backhouse 65 Crowle st M Sherring b Brown 5 Siddiqui b C Backhouse 1 Cullen not out 0 Parsons not out 0 Extras 14 Total: (45 overs 7wkts) 187 Bowling: Field 12-3-30-2; A Sherring 6-1-21-0; D Backhouse 10-2-31-1; Brown 5-0-24-1; Robertson 6-0-41-0; Atkins 4-0-26-0; C Backhouse 2-0-10-3 BRIDPORT Atkins run out 30 M Sherring b Hilton 64 Jones b Custard 7 Everitt c Hilton b Dickinson 28 C Backhouse b Dickinson 4 Robertson run out 8 A Sherring run out 3 Good c Parsons b Hilton 0 D Backhouse not out 7 Field run out 0 Brown not out 4 Extras 35 Total: (44.4 overs 9wkts) 190 Bowling: Munasingha 11-1-39-0; Butt 12-0-56-0; Custard 12-1-32-1; Parsons 1-0-3-0; Hilton 5-0-20-2; Dickinson 3.4-0-22-2