MARTINSTOWN 218 (6pts) lost to DORCHESTER 262-3 (20pts) by 44 runs
DORCHESTER won their fifth straight game against near neighbours Martinstown to usurp their rivals at the top of the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League.
James Dunham’s men amassed 262-3 from 45 overs before bowling their previously unbeaten hosts out for 218 – despite a swashbuckling 56 from Fraser Hill.
This was the type of clinical win over a fellow title contender Dorchester have become renowned for in recent seasons.
Dorchester have rarely let leading positions slip in their back-to-back league winning seasons and so it proved again as the county town side replied perfectly to last week’s loss against Bere Regis.
Dunham won the toss and elected to bat first and will have been delighted as openers Seb Carty and Jim Ryall raced to 80-0 as out-of-sorts bowling was punished.
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Dave Trotter (1-19) bowled typically tightly to strangle the runscoring, snaring Carty (47) just short of his half-century in a 55-ball knock containing eight fours.
Ryall (35) and Jon Legg (5) were next to follow as Hill and Charlie Durant (both 1-42) helped reduce Dorchy to 121-3.
However, the fourth wicket partnership proved to be a match-winner as Eral Anderson and Simon Mitchem batted superbly to the close.
Both men notched half-centuries, pacing their innings expertly to accelerate at the death with 66 runs in the final five overs, Will Maltby conceding a whopping 54 from his four overs.
Anderson plundered 85 not out from 78 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes, in their stunning stand of 142 while Mitchem weighed in in an unbeaten 57 from 52 balls, hitting six boundaries.
Martinstown’s target of 263 seemed gettable within the confines of Lower Ashton Farm, but the hosts lost quick wickets in the top order.
Steve Gerety (6) was stumped by the sharp glovework of Nick Roe off Dunham (3-34).
And, although Sam Kershaw (15) crunched three consecutive fours off Dan Belt (2-27), Town’s captain then chopped on as Martinstown reached 27-2 in the fifth over.
Tom Pope (4) fell lbw to Dunham and Maltby (16) perished to Jamie Barrett (1-37) as Martinstown stuttered to 55-4.
Sean Williams (26) and Ben Lawes settled Town down but when the former was run out, the hosts still needed 190 with five wickets remaining.
Lawes proved the perfect foil for Teddy Andrews (28) and Hill to attack, Andrews smacking three sixes before holing out in the deep off Legg (1-59).
The same fate befell Lawes (36) and Martinstown required 10-an-over before an over of magic from Hill.
Needing to strike out, the left-hander launched Legg for three massive straight sixes, scoring 24 off a single over to bring the hosts back into the contest.
With the asking rate now just eight an over, Hill needed support but Dorchester’s disciplined death bowling prevailed as Jamie Stewart (11) and Charlie Durant (2) gifted catches off Mitchem and Belt respectively.
One wicket in hand and 50 runs short, the onus was on Hill to complete the chase until he skied a catch off Dunham to Belt at long-off to spark wild celebrations in the Dorchester ranks.
Speaking to Echosport, victorious captain Dunham said: “Martinstown is a high-scoring ground and even the way we batted we knew they had a lot of boundary-hitters at the end.
“However, taking wickets regularly was key and having them three or four down early was really important.
“It was all set from our batsmen, to hit 262 we over-achieved and it gave us something to bowl at.”
On his side’s batting, Dunham added: “It started off with Seb and Jim, they hit regular boundaries.
“Everyone batted well but Eral was the stand-out, he hit 80-odd not out hitting it all over the place.
“When he times it the way he does, he could’ve gone on and scored a hundred.
“The side they had was very good – it could beat anyone in this league. Credit to Martinstown, it was a great game played in the right spirit.”
Reflecting on the loss, Kershaw rued a poor start with the ball.
He said: “We started badly, just too many short balls and full tosses.
“All credit to them, you’ve still got to hit them.
“We were on the backfoot but we reined it in and never felt like we were behind the game.
“Down here, 250 is a par score and we back ourselves with the batting to get it – we just came up short.
“If we’d have reined in those 70, 80 runs we probably gave them it would’ve been a different story. We’ve only got ourselves to blame.
“We know what we’ve done wrong and we’ll go again next week.”
Dorchester host Sherborne on Saturday while Town travel to Poole Town (both 1pm).
Elsewhere, leaders Dorchester Seconds lost to Shillingstone by eight runs in County Division Two, while Martinstown Seconds beat Cranborne by four wickets in County Division Three.
CONTACT ME:
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e: neil.walton
@dorsetecho.co.uk
twitter: @EchoSportNeil
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