WEYMOUTH 97 (5pts) lost to PARLEY 179 (19pts) by 82 runs

ANOTHER dreadful display with the bat on Saturday left Weymouth facing an anxious wait to see if they would have to endure the pressure of a play-off shoot-out to retain their Dorset Premier League status.

The Seasiders fell three runs short of claiming the six points required to guarantee their survival and as Parley celebrated retaining the title a hush descended on the home side dressing room at Redlands as Paul Payne’s men waited to hear for news of final day results elsewhere.

However, to their relief, Ferndown Wayfarers lost at Stalbridge, ensuring the Seasiders’ heads stayed above water in eighth place.

Second-bottom Ferndown will now take on Division One runners-up Bournemouth in next week’s play-off for a place in the top-flight while Weymouth will be left to reflect on what has been a summer of severe under achievement.

Payne cut an exasperated figure in the aftermath of the 82-run defeat, which saw his side bowl Parley out for just 179, only to reply with a paltry 97.

It was a performance that summed up the Seasiders’ campaign with deficiencies with the willow costing them dear once again.

The top-order has struggled to score consistently all summer and this encounter was no different with Payne (12), Jim Ryall (0), Jonny Armfield (1), Sean Fitzgerald (9) and Dean Janaway (5) all offering very little.

Ben Lawes (21) then entered the fray at 35-6 and dug in but when he was run out the Seasiders still required 23 more runs to claim those all-important six points.

Matt Lawes (13no) continued to offer stubborn resistance and when number 10 Simon Mitchem came to the crease and cracked a couple of boundaries it appeared the hosts would make it.

However, Mitchem then made a huge error of judgement when he attempted to reverse-sweep the vastly experienced Raj Naik.

His first attempt at the ambitious shot heralded two runs but when he tried the same thing the very next delivery, which was a bit flatter and quicker, he failed to make contact and was cleaned up.

Afterwards, Payne said: “We actually went with a stronger batting line up than bowling line up but it went the other way round.

“To keep them to 179 on a perfectly good batting track was very pleasing and I cannot praise the boys high enough for that.

“Simon Mitchem bowled 10 overs straight off and ended up with figures of 2-32, which was a great effort, and at tea we were absolutely delighted.

“However, as the majority of our season has gone this year, we failed to score the runs and to only get 97 in such good conditions was really poor.

“It was another game of two completely different halves for us and to be honest if we had ended up in the play-off game it would have been nothing more than we deserved.”

Naik was without a doubt man of the match, scoring 71 with the bat and taking 2-15 with the leather. But Weymouth’s bowling attack could also be proud of their display with Matt Lawes (2-23), Andrew Falloon (3-28) and Fitzgerald (2-38) all impressing, alongside Mitchem.

Looking ahead to the 2011 campaign, Payne said: “We need to strengthen throughout the club in the off season and we will work hard to do that.

“In the meantime I would like to say a big thank you to Michael Pearce and our scorer Ian Prankard for all their hard work throughout the season.”