BROADSTONE 220-6 beat (19) beat WEYMOUTH 214-8 (8) by four wickets

WEYMOUTH’S middle order will come under the spotlight when the side meet for training this week.

Again they failed to produce the goods as the Seasiders slipped to a four-wicket defeat at Broadstone.

In stark contrast, their opponents’ middle order were on fire in the sunshine as the hosts easily reached a victory target of 215 with wickets and overs to spare.

Captain David Trotter will now ask head coach Sean Fitzgerald to ‘get tough’ in the Redlands nets in a bid to rectify the problem.

He explained: “I’m just so frustrated at the moment. We are coming up 30 or 40 runs short every week and we have to sort this middle order.

“We’ve got real talent in the line-up and yet we’re not delivering at the moment. Again our top order have got us off to a decent start and again we couldn’t see it through.

“Fitz was there watching Saturday and has made plenty of notes and I know he’ll be getting to grip with things at nets. That’s not to say improvement isn’t required throughout the team but it’s definitely an area to work on.”

Things started well enough for the visitors at a scorching Delph with Trotter winning the toss and batting first.

And despite losing Paul Payne (10) early on, the Seasiders were well on top with Jim Ryall and Tommy England both hitting excellent half-centuries.

The pair shared a 79 run second-wicket partnership before Ryall offered a return catch to Steve White on 51.

England continued to impress during what was arguably one of his best Weymouth innings, however, that middle order was again conspicuous by its absence.

Dean Janaway’s 19 was the next highest score and from a projected total of 250, Broadstone would have been relieved to be chasing under 220.

England’s superb effort brought him 51 runs with the visitors grateful for a massive 33 extras conceded by the hosts.

Weymouth’s defence also got off to an excellent start with Trotter claiming two wickets in five balls with the score on 34.

One of those scalps was Dorset star Ziggy Arshad (28) who in Trotter’s previous over had hit four successive boundaries.

Those dismissals brought ex-Hampshire professional Matthew Keech and Jon Powell to the wicket – two batsmen capable of destroying any attack on their day.

And the duo set about carving a century-plus partnership although Keech was lucky to survive after Payne just failed to hang on to an extremely difficult catch while the strokemaker was still in the 20s.

He went on to score 70 while Powell’s 47 and wicket-keeper Simon Chapman’s 41 showed the value of those middle-order runs.

At the finish Broadstone had plenty in reserve as they reiterated their championship credentials.

“I think the word for the day was frustrating,” concluded Trotter.

“Jim and Tommy batted really well and it was a shame neither went on to get a really big score. But what followed wasn’t good enough.

“Then when we were bowling things went against us with Keech surviving a really tough chance and other opportunities going begging.

“We were those crucial 30 to 40 runs short and then we didn't bowl well enough – simple as that.

“With frustration comes a few negative comments and it certainly wasn’t the best afternoon’s cricket for any of us.”

He added: “But batsmen don’t deliberately play bad shots and bowlers don’t deliberately bowl bad balls.

“What's needed is a bit more encouragement and I'm sure we can fix the problems.”

WEYMOUTH

Payne c Powell b Parsons 10

Ryall c&b White 51

England c Keech b Trembath 51

Bray c Powell b Shales 0

Janaway c Wallis b Trembath 19

Womble c Wallis b Shales 6

Ulhaq c Wallis b Holme 16

Whyte c Chapman b Arshad 9

Totter not out 13

Budd not out 6

Extras 33

Total (8wkts, 50 overs) 214

FoW: 1-29, 2-108, 3-123, 4-153, 5-164, 6-168, 7-179, 8-203

Bowling: Arshad 10-0-40-1 Parsons 10-3-43-1 Holme 8-1-38-1 White 5-0-25-1, Shales 10-0-30-2 Trembath 7-1-30-2

BROADSTONE

Arshad c Whyte b Trotter 28

Thomas c Ulhaq b Trotter 1

Keech c England b Whyte 70

Powell b Womble 47

Wallis c Ryall b Whyte 6

Chapman st Ryall b Ulhaq 41

Trembath not out 14

White not out 0

Extras 13

Total (6wkts, 44.4 overs) 220

FoW: 1-33, 2-34, 3-139, 4-157, 5-177, 6-208

Bowling: Trotter 10-1-43-2 Nobbs 10-1-37-0 Budd 8.4-0-54-0, Whyte 10-2-49-2, Womble 4-0-21-1, Ulhaq 2-2-0-9