CERNE VALLEY 262-8 (20pts) beat DORCHESTER II 133 (7pts) by 129 runs

RESURGENT Cerne Valley claimed a third consecutive victory in County Division Two with a big 129-run margin over Dorchester Seconds.

Cerne were put in after losing the toss in damp conditions but openers Craig Kellaway and Russ Hurford patiently built to 41-0.

That was until Kellaway (5) fell victim to Ben Alford (2-30), arguably the pick of the bowlers in tricky conditions.

Cerne’s 41-1 became 42-2 as Hurford (27) failed to capitalise on another good start and was stumped by Scott Peach off Alford.

That brought Sam Downey and Solo Roper to the crease and the pair put on a 79-run partnership, playing some exquisite shots, especially Roper, who plundered five big sixes with what seemed a mere flick of the wrists.

Downey eventually fell for 30 and it brought Miles Quick (59) to the crease, whose timing produced eight fours.

Other contributions came from debutant Jacob Browning (14), and Mike Collinge (22), who lifted Cerne to a season-best score of 262-8 from 40 overs.

READ MORE: Cerne Valley seal consecutive wins

In reply, Quick (0-20) and Roper (0-12) opened the bowling with consistent line and length to build the pressure.

Cerne made the breakthrough when Matt Porter (11) was ran out by Cerne debutant Marcus Higgs.

First change bowler Lloyd Mitchem then removed former Cerne player David Gray (12) and Dorchester were in a similar position to Cerne in their innings.

Dorchester’s pivotal partnership came in the form of Peach (36) and former first-team captain Martyn Richards (18) but when Peach found the hands of Roper in the deep off Downey (3-28) and Richards picked out Andy Edmunds off Collinge (2-18), Cerne were very much in the ascendancy.

Downey and Collinge helped spin Cerne to victory along with the ever impressive George Wilkes (3-4), who claimed three wickets in eight balls to sweep up the tail and bowl Dorchester out for 133.

Stand-in captain Mitchem told Echosport: “Despite not having a few key players, the young lads who came into the side did extremely well.

“After losing a couple of early wickets I was a bit worried but Solo, Sam and Miles took the game by the scruff of its neck. Some of the shots they played were brilliant.

“Getting to 262 was always going to be a tough task but to bowl them out for 133 proved that we applied ourselves in the field and that we bowled tight lines.

“That’s three wins in a row now and we need to keep our level of confidence and team spirit going into the rest of the season”

Cerne Valley travel to Parley Seconds tomorrow (1.30pm).