ST GEORGE’S 99-9 lost to HERRISON YOUTH 100-3 by seven wickets

PAUL Chatterton’s man-of-the-match performance helped Herrison Youth lift the Dorchester Evening League Knockout Cup and break their St George’s hoodoo in the process.

Youth, who last won the trophy two years ago, suffered cup final heartache at the hands of the Saints back in 2006 and 2007.

But Rich Cole’s men made it third time lucky with victory at Bere Regis, thanks in part to a terrific display from Chatterton.

The all-rounder snared 3-26, as St George’s closed on 99-9, before plundering 46 runs as Herrison crossed the finish line with four overs and seven wickets to spare.

Victorious skipper Cole, who has now challenged his second-placed side to notch a league and cup double, said: “We restricted them to 99 and then reached our target in 16 overs so it was pretty convincing in the end.

“It looked as though they would put on a decent score but we restricted them quite well.

“It’s nice to have beaten them and it makes up for the two times we lost to them in the final previously.

“The bowlers played really well, especially James Dunham, who took four key wickets, and Paul Chatterton, who cleaned up the tail in his second spell, and at the turnaround I felt the game was ours to lose.

“Paul then scored 46 to get the man of the match award and take us to victory.

“We have got four games left of the Division One season and two of those are against Martinstown and St George’s.

“If we could do the double it would be a fantastic achievement, particularly in my first season as captain.”

Having won the toss, current league leaders St George’s opened the batting but after Andy Legg (42) made a promising start at the crease, fellow opener Colin Edney was clean bowled by Chatterton for a duck.

Simon Joslin (25) and Legg put on an impressive second-wicket stand of 56 but once those two were removed – by the accuracy of James Dunham (4-27) – the Saints struggled.

No one else managed to reach double figures and Herrison, who also saw Rob Cole (2-11) claim two victims, were now in the driving seat, needing 100 to win.

Jim Woodruff departed for just eight in reply but Chatterton and Tom Cottrell (22) held their nerve to move Youth closer to vic-tory.

Both men were eventually dismissed, by Tim Goodhew (1-22) and Rob Smith (1-21) respectively, but captain Rich Cole (6no) and Matt King (8no) chalked up the final few runs to land the trophy.