WITCHAMPTON 150-9 (5pts) lost to Dorchester SECONDS 143-2 (19pts) by eight wickets (rain affected, Dorchester on revised target) SKIPPER Ian Sibley bagged a hat-trick as Dorchester Seconds gave their survival hopes a massive boost with victory over fellow strugglers Witchampton.

Prior to the Rec showdown, the county town side were within touching distance of Dorset League Division Two’s bottom two. But their eight-wicket victory, on a revised target due to earlier rain, has opened up a 1.58 gap in the averages.

Sibley (4-38) led by example as he took three wickets in three successive balls before plundering 47 runs in reply.

Nick Roe (67no) also starred with the willow while Mike Peak (3-29) and Stuart Beasley (1-32) helped restrict the visitors with tight spells.

The second-team captain said: “It was a pleasing result and one that was very much needed. They are now struggling while for us the table makes for better reading.

“I should imagine we’ll be safe now but we could still do with another victory I must admit.

“We’ve got Bere Regis and Christ-church in our next two games and then Swanage, who are also struggling, in our last game of the season.

“If we can pick up a reasonable amount of points against the first two then we should be okay.”

Reflecting on Saturday’s win – their seventh of the campaign – Sibley added: “It was a good display from us, particularly as we only used four bowlers.

“We all bowled pretty well and we had them in a spot of trouble at one point. They did well to get out of it and score 150.

“I was a bit disappointed not to get to my half-century as I’ve now had four scores of 40-odd without going on to get 50.

“But Nick batted superbly and it was a very good display from him, especially as it was quite a difficult pitch to bat on.”

Dorchester lost the toss but made an ideal start as Peak and Beasley combined to leave Witchampton reeling at 38-4.

M Boules (62) and Daniel Bartram (22) calmed the storm with a fifth-wicket stand of 57 before Steve Budd (1-41) clean bowled the latter.

Sibley claimed his first victim of the afternoon in S Hibbard (18) and then embarked on a sensational hat-trick as he removed the dangerous Boules, followed by the dismissals of T Burbridge (0) and Chris Vaughan (0).

Rain had interrupted the visitors’ innings, which closed on 150-9, and resulted in Dorchester being set a revised target of 142 from 40 overs.

Sibley set the tone with 47 and although fellow opener George Thomas (4) was removed early on, Roe arrived at the crease to navigate a winning chase, which ended with eight wickets and 8.5 overs in hand.