ECB Under-15 National Club Championship West Dorset Final

Dorchester 128-1 beat CERNE VALLEY 124-6 by four runs

DORCHESTER were crowned West Dorset champions following a nail-biting four-run win over Cerne Valley.

Batting first, the county town outfit made a great start with James Caldwell (35) and Sam Roles (37) both playing fluently, punishing some early wayward bowling.

Both players were then forced to retire after reaching the mandatory 35-run limit.

Scott Parker (12) was the only wicket to fall for Dorchester, trying to gain valuable runs as the innings drew to a close.

A 10-ball cameo innings of 21 not out from the hard-hitting Joe Prior and five not out by Luke Voss pushed the Dorchester score up to 128-1 inside their allotted 18 overs.

Cerne Valley’s reply started badly when in the second over the impressive leg spinner Voss (2-10) had Afzal (0) well caught by Archie Cotterell at slip.

And Voss struck again, removing the talented all-rounder Piers Mercer (20) courtesy of James Caldwell’s catch at mid-wicket.

At the halfway stage the game was drifting away from Cerne with the score on 48-2, still needing another 81 runs off nine overs.

However, a fantastic fightback, led by Jamie Downton (38) and James Brindley (34 not out), gave Cerne a huge lifeline.

The timing of Downton’s mandatory retirement was unfortunate but a partnership of nearly 70 runs had incredibly put Cerne into prime position at 101-2 with four overs remaining.

The bowling change of James Caldwell and Jake Pike produced a flurry of wickets in the dying overs as both teams tried to wrestle the momentum away from each other.

Caldwell had Newton caught by Peter Horne and then three run outs saw Brindley stranded at the non-striker’s end.

Cerne needed 11 to win off the last over but Pike conceded just six to secure victory for his side.

Both teams progress into the ECB County Cup, with Dorchester given a home tie against the runners-up of the South District.

Cerne Valley travel to the winners of the North District on June 7.