STALBRIDGE 149 (6pts) lost to WEYMOUTH 153-9 (18pts) by one wicket

COMEBACK kings David Trotter and Paul Payne fired Weymouth to a second successive Dorset Premier League victory at Stalbridge.

The returning pair shared the man of the match honours as the Seasiders scrapped home by a single wicket in another thrilling encounter at the Park.

Having beaten Blandford off the last ball a week earlier, it was down to the wire again with the visitors chasing what looked a meager target of 150 for victory.

Trotter, back from a knee ligament injury, had been instrumental in restricting the hosts, posting excellent figures of 3-21 from his full quota of 10 overs. But with the Seasiders wobbling at 11-3 in reply, the captain’s efforts appeared to be in vain.

However, a battling half-century from Payne, making his comeback following a shoulder problem, rescued the situation although it was left to last-wicket pair Rob Nobbs and Trotter to hit the winning runs Having been asked to bowl on a blustery afternoon at the Park, the visitors got off to a perfect start when Steve Sweatman edged Nobbs to wicketkeeper Jim Ryall for a duck.

Nobbs and new ball partner Dan Hutchens continued to keep things in check but they had to wait until the 11th over before a second breakthrough came.

Scoring was a slow affair for Stalbridge – a fact underlined by Rob Burfitt whose unbeaten 47 came off more than 100 deliveries.

His innings aside, there was little to write home about batting wise as the excellent Hutchens (2-24), Nobbs (1-36), Andy Fulton (1-26) Cube Whyte (2-22) and Trotter kept the Seasiders on top.

In-play punters would have been piling their cash on an easy Weymouth victory at the turnaround but the hosts clearly had not read the script with Steve Forshaw and Rob Horsman dispatching Jim Ryall (4), Dean Janaway (1) and Andy Bray (0) inside the opening three overs.

Enter Payne and Sean Fitzgerald to steady the ship with a partnership of 73 before the latter departed for a crucial 24.

When Payne eventually went for a superb 56 with the score on 110, it was an uphill struggle for the Seasiders as Vijay Mote, Fulton, Whyte and Hutchens mustered just 34 runs between them.

And the odds were firmly in Stalbridge’s favour when number 11 Trotter joined Nobbs at the crease at 142-9. But despite a nervous passage of play, the visitors held firm and it was left to Trotter to hammer a boundary off Sweatman to see his side over the finishing line.

A delighted Trotter said: “I thought I’d seen drama watching our win over Blandford but this was just as nerve-wracking. I think Weymouth teams of old may have cracked under the pressure but this result just shows the spirit and determination we have these days.

“I thought we bowled superbly – especially Dan Hutchens – and reducing Stalbridge to 149 was a great effort. But at 11-3 we were obviously in all sorts of trouble and it needed something special from somebody.

“That somebody was Paul Payne who was fantastic and he received great support from Sean Fitzgerald and the two of them put us back in the game.

“To come back from injury and bat the way he did just shows how good Payner is and I too was delighted to contribute on my return to the side. But all round everyone played an important part and confidence is really high as we prepare for the visit of Broadstone on Saturday.”