Poole Town 2nds 178-9 (18pts) beat Weymouth 170-8 by 8 runs

Poole Town Seconds have won their third match on the trot, defeating Weymouth by eight runs in their Round 15 fixture of the County Division One competition.

After winning the toss and bowling, Weymouth reduced the hosts to 57/5 in the 21st over, with Kev Wrigley and captain David Miller tasked with rebuilding the innings.

The pair took the score to 100/6 before Wrigley (32) was dismissed, with quickfire knocks from Jeremiah Edy (32) and Dan Malan (18*), as well as a steady 21 from Miller helping them to 178/9 after 45 overs.

Tom England and Russ Haylock then opened up for the visitors, and despite not taking wickets, Poole were able to keep the run rate in check. Weymouth got to the 22 over drinks break at 66/0, and were eventually 80/1 when Haylock (46) fell to the bowling of Joe Wilson. 

Two more wickets to Wilson, including the key scalp of Beals for a duck, as well as the run-out of Kieron Womble saw the score turn to 107/4 with nine overs remaining and the asking rate above a run a ball. England brought up his half century but skied one to Miller to give Joe Connick (1-44) a well-earned breakthrough and bring the score to 140/5 in the 40th over.

Connor Wills (35*) kept Weymouth in it until the end, but Edy (0-39), Wilson (3-26) and Ryan Davidson (2-38) all held their nerve to restrict Weymouth to 170-8 at the end of the match.

Earlier on in the day it was Beals who struck first when he bowled Paul Reynolds for 13.

The second wicket didn’t come until the 15th over but came in style with Jack Sapsworth pulling off a fantastic direct hit run-out.

Accurate nine-over spells Shafeek Urumancheri (2-26) and Pete Sapsworth (1-24) then helped to put Poole into more trouble, before the aforementioned fightback from their middle and lower order.

Weymouth now sit fourth on the Division One table with Poole just a point behind them, with Corfe Mullen, Marnhull and Witchampton out in front of them.

Lloyd Beals spoke to EchoSport post-match and lamented his side’s batting effort.

“We fell behind the run rate and they [the openers] just chucked away their wickets thinking they’d done a good job,”

Weymouth will have to win and win well in their last three matches to keep their title hopes alive, starting with Portland Red Triangle at Redlands on Saturday.

“They’re batting well and we’re batting poorly so we need to find a way on restricting them, and taking the shackles off ourselves.

“[Winning the league] is still possible, but we’re heavily reliant on other factors now.”