BLANDFORD 171-9 (18pts) beat WEYMOUTH 154 (10pts) by 17 runs

EXASPERATED skipper Paul Payne cut straight to the chase following Weymouth’s latest defeat in the Dorset Premier League by admitting the Seasiders have no one to blame but themselves for their current predicament.

Last midweek, Payne called for a positive response from his players following a shock defeat at basement boys Marnhull and for half of Saturday’s clash against Blandford at Redlands he got it.

Ruthless bowling and impeccable fielding saw the Seasiders skittle the North Dorset side for just 171 but as has so often happened this summer the hosts failed to back it up with the willow.

From 40-1, Weymouth crashed to 154 all out, leaving them hanging perilously above the drop-zone with three games remaining.

Understandably, Payne was in no mood to pull any punches in his post-match analysis. He said: “Our performance in the field was the best so far this season on what was a cracking Redlands wicket.

“We bowled, fielded and took our catches brilliantly, and to restrict them to 171-9 from 50 overs on such a good track was fantastic.

“However, once again we failed to put any partnerships together and from 40-1, chasing 171, the next minute we were 154 all out.

“I don’t know what it is at the moment but it just seems no one is capable of going on and making a big score, and it is very concerning. We desperately need people to stand up and be counted but it is just not happening.

“The only positive thing we can take from this latest setback is that we did still manage to claim 10 points but we should have had a lot more than that.”

When asked about the threat of relegation, Payne added: “We have no one to blame but ourselves for the position we are in. We have put pressure on ourselves by failing to win the last two games and now we have to find a way out of it.

“All of our batsmen, me included, have to hold our hands up at the minute. One week we are doing the business then the next we are not. And we need to put that right pretty quickly otherwise we are going to find ourselves in deep trouble.”

Blandford’s openers got off to a composed start but the returning Michael Pearce (2-41) soon put paid to that. First he snared the wicket of Luke Carter (21) with a fine caught and bowled and then he held on to a catch to dismiss Jim Woodruff (9) off the bowling of Andrew Falloon (2-29) shortly after.

That reduced the visitors to 40-2 and from there, Weymouth did not look back with wickets falling at regular intervals with Laurie Whyte (2-26) and Sean Fitzgerald (3-40) also getting in on the act.

However, the Seasiders still did not manage to bowl their opponents out as Oliver Trowbridge (20no) and Aaron Day (8no) added 16 for the final wicket to set the hosts a target of 171. Alex White was Blandford’s main contributor with 41.

In reply, Payne (9) and Jim Ryall (16) endeavoured to get Weymouth off to a steady start and all seemed to be going to plan until the latter was cleaned up by T House (3-29) in the sixth over.

That began a wobble that then evolved into a mini collapse as the next three wickets all fell the same way with Payne, Jonny Armfield (21) and Fitzgerald (4) all nicking through to the gloves of Stu Robbins with two of the three coming off deliveries from Kevin Robbins (3-21).

Suddenly, the Seasiders found themselves on 61-4, a position from which they never recovered as Stu Robbins claimed another scalp by stumping Dean Janaway (15) just five overs later to inflict even more damage.

Will McKay (20) and Matt Lawes (26) put up brave resistance in the mid to lower order but M Shepherd (2-27) and Day (1-32) ensured there was to be no late fight-back by the hosts, who were eventually bowled over for a disappointing tally of 154.