BLANDFORD 116 (3pts) lost to WEYMOUTH 118-4 (19pts) by six wickets

WEYMOUTH’S bowling attack was once again in imperious form as their fantastic four ripped the heart out of Blandford in the Dorset Premier League on Saturday.

Laurie ‘Cube’ Whyte picked up the best figures (4-19 from 10 overs) but only after Matt Lawes (2-18) and Dave Trotter (2-33) had knocked over the top order. Dan Hutchens (2-14) then came on and completed the job as the hosts’ innings came to an abrupt end at 116 all out.

To their credit, Blandford responded with two early wickets but they had no answer to Kieron Womble, whose fabulous knock of 48 not out eventually saw the Seasiders home with 19.2 overs and six wickets to spare.

Weymouth skipper Dean Janaway said: “After a couple of weeks without a game it was just nice to get out there and play to be honest.

“The pitch was green but on winning the toss they decided to have a bat, which suited us as we would have chosen to field anyway.

“The recent damp conditions have so far made this year a season for the bowlers and our top four were superb yet again. We held all our catches and consistently took wickets with Cube taking 4-19 and the rest picking up a couple each.

“Despite having knocked them over for 116 though, their opening bowlers came out and put us under a lot of pressure to leave us struggling on 20-2.

“At that stage it was just a case of digging in and seeing them off, and once we had done that Kieron and Tom England put on a superb partnership to put us back in command.

“Kieron was outstanding. He waited for the bad balls and dispatched them with confidence, and he is having a fantastic season. “It was great to win again particularly after such a long lay-off.

“When you go without a game for three weeks there is always a tendency to come out a bit rusty but although we did give them a few runs in terms of extras (29), I thought we bowled and fielded very well and thoroughly deserved to come out on top.”

It didn’t take long for Weymouth’s bowlers to make an impression with Lawes clean bowling Lee Pitman for a duck after just 25 minutes of play.

Trotter then forced Mike Shepherd (13) to hole out to Tim Guyett before Lawes returned to trap Alex White (6) leg before.

Blandford looked shell-shocked and when Dan Brockway (1) exited shortly after it appeared the Seasiders would run riot. However, Lewis Mutton (31) then dug in alongside Tom Haines (16) to stop the rot but they had not accounted for the introduction of Whyte, who knocked over both men and also dismissed Ryan Boardwell (6) to quell the resistance.

The last three wickets then succumbed for the addition of just seven runs as Weymouth went into tea with a steely authority. Chasing low targets can sometimes prove tricky though and when Richie Thomas (2-25) struck the pad of Jim Ryall (5) and Stuart Robbins caught out Paul Payne (4), it appeared that would prove the case here.

However, Janaway (19) showed leadership to help see off the opening attack before England (15) and Womble came together and eased the nerves with the latter knocking off the winning runs in the 31st over alongside Ben Doidge (6 not out).

The victory has taken Weymouth 16 points above local rivals Dorchester in the top flight where they now sit fifth.