BEAMINSTER 144 (3pts) lost to Martinstown 146-0 (20pts) by 10 wickets

BEAMINSTER dropped into the relegation zone following a 10-wicket thumping at high-flying Martinstown in Dorset League Division Two.

Will Everitt’s men managed just 144 with the bat and then failed to make a single breakthrough with the ball as Ed Nichols (53 not out) and Lee House (78 not out) knocked off the runs in 32 overs with an opening stand of 146.

The West Dorset outfit, who also allowed Wimborne & Colehill to amass 331-4 in their previous game, now sit 12 points adrift of safety after fellow strugglers Poole Town Seconds moved above them following a 19-run victory at Shillingstone.

Everitt will no doubt be hugely concerned by his side’s slump in form particularly after winning the toss at Ashton and choosing to bat on what looked like a haven for scoring runs.

Nick David (12) and Fred Evertitt opened up (37) and made a solid start by putting on 40 for the first wicket before Simon Jones (23) and Will Everitt (11) came in and continued the momentum.

It appeared the visitors were in decent shape but a clatter of wickets then saw them slump from 93-2 to 101-6 as the bowling attack of Danny Dancer (5-35) and Liam Banfield (3-42) began to turn the tide in emphatic fashion.

Ex-skipper Ross Baker (35 not out) put up some resistance in the middle order but with seven to 11 in Beaminster’s line-up only managing just 10 runs between them the innings completely fell away.

Martinstown now looked supremely confident and Nichols and House exuded that at the crease as they patiently set about chasing down what was clearly a below-par target.

Beaminster’s bowlers tried in vain to build pressure but the opening pair refused to buckle and as soon as they took their stand past three figures the game was all but over.

Martinstown now lie fourth in the table, just 17 points off the top, while Will Everitt’s men have been left with much to ponder ahead of this Saturday’s home game against Christchurch.