BRIDPORT 181 (19pts) beat PAVILION SPORTS 156-9 (9pts) by 25 runs

CHRIS Backhouse heralded his side's "massive improvement" as Bridport recorded their first win on Saturday at Pavilion Sports to kick-start their campaign in Dorset Funeral Plan Division Two.

Following their narrow defeat to Hamworthy Recreation in the season opener weekend, victory was imperative and skipper Backhouse was delighted with his players' response in the sultry conditions.

"It was a massive improvement and all areas of our game were better - our batting, bowling and fielding," he said.

"We didn't play too well last week but we've put it right with an excellent team performance.

He added: "They are one of the strongest teams in the division so to get a win here is very satisfying."

With runs at a premium on the overgrown Slades Farm outfield, the visitors were put in after losing the toss and made a circumspect start.

Openers Sean Fitzgerald and Sam Challis put on 38 for the first wicket before the latter was bowled by Matt Tatchell (1-37), and when Dave Herbert and Fitzgerald fell in quick succession, Bridport were struggling at 67-3.

But keeper Fred Everitt (34) and Sam Good (57) shared a crucial 90-run partnership that lifted the innings towards a defendable target.

However, the visitors collapsed from 157-3 to 181 all out with not one of the bottom five batsmen able to claw his way to double figures, largely due to Mark Beale's excellent analysis of 4-15 from six overs, which evened up the contest at tea.

In reply, Andrew Sherring (1-48) claimed an early victim with the new ball before an important stand between opener Tatchell (58) and Mike Edwards (42) threatened to take the game to the wire.

Needing fewer than 100 for victory with nine wickets in the shed, Pavilion Sports were manufacturing a winning position, but a flurry of wickets, instigated by Herbert's destructive spell of 4-27, wrestled the initiative back to the visitors.

The hosts subsided once Craig New had been comically run out by Mark Tozer and were unable thereafter to challenge Bridport's target as accurate bowling ensured the hosts slumped to a 25 run defeat.

SLADES FARM SCOREBOARD

BRIDPORT

Fitzgerald b Tatchell 35

Challis b C Martin 11

Herbert b C Martin 3

Everitt run out 34

Good b M Beale 57

Backhouse b M Beale 15

Smith c Seal b J Martin 0

Tozer c Edwards b M Beale 0

Lewis not out 5

Nicholls b M Beale 0

Sherring lbw J Martin 5

Extras 16

Total (all out, 44 overs) 181

FoW: 1-38, 2-47, 3-67, 4-157, 5-163, 6-174, 7-175, 8-178, 9-178

Bowling: G Beale 4.1-1-12-0, J Martin 11-2-29-2, C Martin 8.5-2-38-2, M Seal 12-0-36-0, Tatchell 7-0-37-1, M Beale 6-1-15-4

PAVILION SPORTS

Tatchell c Everitt b Herbert 58

Taylor b Sherring 2

Edwards c Lewis b Herbert 42

M Beale c Backhouse b Herbert 3

New run out 7

J Martin b Herbert 2

Seal st Everitt b Herbert 5

Duke run out 10

G Beale c Tozer b Backhouse 14

C Martin not out 1

Seal not out 0

Extras 12

Total (9 wkts, 45 overs) 156

FoW: 1-6, 2-84, 3-90, 4-113, 5-117, 6-122, 7-127, 8-147, 9-156

Bowling: Nicholls 10-2-26-0, Sherring 10-1-48-1, Fitzgerald 4-0-20-0, Herbert 12-3-27-4, Backhouse 9-1-25-1

Man of the Match (sponsored by Nantes Solicitors): Sam Good and Dave Herbert