DORCHESTER will aim to “replicate” their good form when Broadstone visit Dorch Rec in the Dorset Premier League tomorrow (1pm), captain Dan Belt says.
Belt’s men have won eight of nine games to occupy second place in the league at the halfway stage of their title defence as they aim for a fourth successive crown.
However, they sit eight points adrift of leaders Wimborne after their flawless start to the campaign.
Heading into the first game of the season’s back nine, Belt called on his players to continue to focus on their efforts only.
READ MORE: Dorchester beat Bere Regis by five wickets
He told Echosport: “If you look at the first nine games and you come away with only one loss, you’d take that.
“We’ve played very good cricket all the way through, even against Wimborne we were very unlucky.
“We’re in a great position, we’re not too many points behind, we’ve just got to replicate what we’ve done and keep going.”
On Broadstone, he added: “They’ve had a mixed season, they’ve had some great wins and a couple of losses that you’re a bit surprised about.
“Every game we’re going into it as if we’re playing a top team and try and come away with as many points as we can.”
Dorchester make one change as Eral Anderson replaces Scott Peach.
Dorchester: Ryall, Mitchem, Anderson, Rajendar, Carty, Peak, Legg, Belt, Dunham, Owens, Nobbs.
Dorchester Seconds visit Charlton Down in their County Division Two derby, while Dorchester Thirds travel to Swanage Thirds in County Division Six (both tomorrow 1.30pm).
Elsewhere in the Premier League, fourth-placed Bere Regis are looking to recover from their five-wicket loss to Dorchester.
Brian Keegan’s men travel to leaders Wimborne tomorrow (1pm) and are intent on making amends for poor form at the Leaze in recent seasons.
Keegan said: “From our perspective, it was disappointing last Saturday against Dorch.
“We’ll be looking to be the first team to beat Wimborne this year, which everybody should be. There are not many sides that stay unbeaten for the whole season.
“We’ve just got to get back to basics, do what we’re good at and back ourselves.
“Wimborne away is not the easiest place to go to, we haven’t got the greatest of records there but all records are there to be broken. Hopefully we can get this one off our back.”
Bere welcome back star performers Sam Goodhew and Pete Russell, with Dave Lovell and Jake Perch missing out.
Bere: M King, Russell, S Goodhew, Payne, Robertson, T Goodhew, Rich Cole, Murphy, Munnings, Rogerson, Keegan.
Bere main sponsor: Booth Gadenne
Bere first and second XI match ball sponsor: Chat-Com Ltd
Bere Regis Seconds host Martinstown Seconds in Division Three tomorrow (1.30pm).
Martinstown’s first team are bidding for their first back-to-back wins of the Dorset Premier League season when Puddletown visit Lower Ashton Farm tomorrow (1pm).
Charlie Durant and Will Maltby’s side beat Christchurch by 113 runs last time out and now have the chance to do the double over Puddletown, having beaten the promoted side by seven wickets in May.
Durant said: “This is a really big opportunity for us to get back-to-back wins. It’s not something we’ve done.
“Last season, every time we got a win we had some momentum. I don’t think we did what we’ve done this year and lost the next game. Hopefully we can get something going.
“We ended last season really well and it’s a little bit of a different team, with different leadership, but the way we want to play is still the same.
“We got back to dominating teams last week, so hopefully we can do that again.”
Meanwhile, opposing skipper Adam Barrett is hunting successive Premier League victories for the first time in the club’s history, after comfortably beating Broadstone by six wickets last time out.
And they will be boosted by a Doug Read Cup semi-final win over Martinstown in midweek, each side containing many of the players set to face-off tomorrow.
Barrett said: “It’s quite a difficult game travelling to Martinstown, they’re obviously a very good side and beat us really heavily at the start of the season.
“We know their strengths, what they’re capable of. We just need to turn up, focus on ourselves and try and put in a good performance.”
Martinstown’s Charlie Andrews, Will Maltby and Ed Maltby miss out, with Matt Rimmer, Dave Trotter and Adam Kepple their replacements.
Martinstown: Nichols, S Williams, House, R Gerety, Kershaw, Rimmer, Kepple, Je Stewart, Durant, Trotter, Coombs.
Puddletown are waiting to confirm their starting XI due to a selection headache.
Their second XI host Witchampton Seconds in Division Five tomorrow (1.30pm).
In Division One, Portland Red Triangle are looking to build on a massive win over Stalbridge, having chased a huge 272.
They are seeking a third straight victory when Swanage visit Reforne tomorrow (1.30pm).
Skipper Matt Randell said: “We’ll be confident again and certainly at home.
“A lot of people don’t like batting at Portland but I know a lot of the lads enjoy it.
“So we’ll be looking to build from Saturday, go into it and try and play some positive strokes and try and put Swanage under pressure.”
Rich Samuel is unavailable but Ryan Price, Callan Laws and Matt Barrett return. Calum Doughty and James Potts make way.
Triangle’s second string visit Cheselbourne in Division Five tomorrow (1.30pm).
In Division Two, Weymouth are targeting a third win from four games in their rollercoaster season.
Harry Mitchell’s men visit Shillingstone tomorrow (1.30pm) and could do the double over their opponents following a four-wicket win on the opening day.
Mitchell said: "We had a really good result against Dorchester Seconds, one of our better ones this season.
"We're just trying to continue that form and momentum, see where we can get in the league this season.
"There's no pressure on us any more, it's just about freedom of play.
"Shillingstone's been a difficult place for us in recent seasons. The lockdown season was our first win there (in recent times) but we're looking forward to it."
Weymouth: Mitchell, Womble, Beals, Wilson, J Sapsworth, P Sapsworth, Somaratne, Urumancheri, Nott, Polley, Guyett.
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