BEAMINSTER (3pts) 149 lost to CORFE MULLEN (18pts) 154-3 by seven wickets

SKIPPER Ross Baker lamented another ill-disciplined showing with the willow as Beaminster were resoundingly beaten by Dorset Funeral Plan Division One high-flyers Corfe Mullen at the Memorial Ground.

In an innings that typified the home side's principal concern, Beaminster were bowled out inside their allotted overs for the fourth successive occasion before the visitors cantered to victory to maintain their unbeaten run.

Baker said: "Apart from Simon Jones, who batted really well, we didn't score enough runs to give ourselves a chance of defending the total.

"The shot selection by a number of our batsmen was poor and although a lot of our young players are trying hard, unfortunately with confidence low it's just not happening.

"We were looking to score 200 but when we didn't get near that we were always up against it."

He added: "We haven't been able to bat out our overs this year and we're not going to win unless we do so."

Beaminster lost Chris Park (1) almost immediately but Richard Runyard (24) and Simon Jones (60) safely advanced the innings to 51 until the former was caught.

Julian Davies, who like Park was returning after unavailability, couldn't solidify the batting making only nine and was one of four victims for paceman Ben Bolt (4-26).

Skipper Baker led from the front with a rearguard 36 and shared a partnership of 58 with Jones, but Beaminster failed to post a challenging total and were bowled out with four and a half overs remaining as eight players failed to reach double figures.

In reply, an early run out proved only a minor setback for Corfe Mullen as they batted with conviction and panache while accelerating the scoring rate to take a firm stranglehold on the match.

Baker (1-17) removed opener Hoar for 27 and Jack Guilor (1-19) collected his first wicket for Beaminster in another impressive spell as the home side tried in vain to assume some control.

But number three batsman Jowett proved the foundation on which his side's successful run-chase was built and steered the visitors to their fourth consecutive win while conversely, Beaminster are looking up from the Division One doldrums.

MEMORIAL GROUND SCOREBOARD

BEAMINSTER

Runyard c Ackland b Bolt 24

Park lbw Shilton 1

Jones c Williams b Shilton 60

Hurford c Shilton b Bolt 9

Davies b Bolt 9

Hawkins c Stannard b Bolt 0

Parry lbw Bray 0

Baker b Jowett 36

Guilor b Shilton 5

Herring lbw Shilton 0

Legg not out 0

Extras 5

Total (all out, 45.3 overs) 149

FoW: 1-3, 2-51, 3-63, 4-81, 5-81, 6-82, 7-140, 8-145, 9-145

Bowling: Shilton 10-3-35-4, Ackland 10-3-11-0, Jowett 7.3-0-33-1, Bolt 10-1-26-4, Bray 9-0-42-0

CORFE MULLEN

Stannard run out 8

Hoar lbw Baker 27

Jowett not out 85

Williams b Guilor 15

Lewis not out 3

Extras 16

Total (3 wkts, 25.5 overs) 154

FoW: 1-30, 2-47, 3-128

Bowling: Jones 6-3-15-0, Legg 7-2-29-0, Baker 3-0-17-1, Herring 3-0-24-0, Guilor 4-0-19-1, Davies 1-0-23-0, Runyard 1.5-0-23-0