Weymouth beat Sturminster & Hinton by four wickets

WEYMOUTH eased to back-to-back victories for the first time this season, beating Sturminster & Hinton by four wickets at Redlands.

The Seasiders have struggled for consistency with the bat on their return to County Division Two since their relegation for fielding an unregistered player three times last season.

Harry Mitchell’s men are still yet to score above 200 this season but bowled well enough to restrict Stur to 162-8 from 45 overs before successfully navigating a tricky run chase without alarm.

It means Weymouth built on their dramatic victory at Beaminster last week, lifting them up to fifth.

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Mitchell won the toss and elected to bowl first, opening bowlers Lloyd Beals (1-26) and Adam Hoyes (1-24) dismissing Chris Reed (7) and Austen Cornell (11) respectively to leave Stur on 38-2.

Aj Rose and away skipper Henry Porter (both 23) looked threatening with some crisp hitting before Mitchell (2-41) removed them both, the latter feeling aggrieved with his caught behind decision.

Despite reducing the visitors to 83-4, Weymouth looked flat in the field until drinks and a change of bowling.

Seamer Tim Guyett (3-18) and leg-spinner Shafeek Urumancheri (1-22) gave the Seasiders impetus in the middle overs and began to constrict the flow of runs.

Guyett was particularly impressive, bowling Laurence Moore (18) and trapping Will Tremlett (0) lbw in successive balls, while Urumancheri bamboozled Gary Horne (0) before finding his middle stump.

Stur were now 114-7 but produced stern resistance late on, smacking 16 off the final over to post 162-8 as Chris Job (20no) and Harry Lewis (14no) finished strongly.

In reply, Weymouth experimented with the big-hitting Guyett (0) opening the batting but the gamble failed as Lewis (1-38) rustled his timbers.

Tom England (15) then lofted a catch off Rose (1-21) after a breezy start to leave Weymouth on 32-2.

New batters Neil Walton and Jack Sapsworth (26) then put on a stand of 62 – a rare sight for the Seasiders this season – until the latter was caught at long-on off Job (1-25).

But Walton (75) brought up his half-century with a six and continued to accumulate alongside Mitchell, scoring seven fours and three maximums in his 90-ball knock.

The duo shared 56 and guided Weymouth to 150-3 before Walton was bowled attempting a big hit off Horne (1-33).

Mitchell (14) and teenage star Corey Baker (4) then fell to Tremlett (2-24) as the hosts stuttered to 154-6.

However, Beals (11no) crunched two fours to steer Weymouth to victory.

Speaking to Echosport, Mitchell admitted there were still areas for improvement despite the win.

He said: “It was probably our worst performance with the ball so far, being honest.

“It was a bit quiet, the energy and buzz wasn’t there with a few people suffering from illness.

“I thought we let the game go through its motions and we did as well, but we took wickets every time they had a chance of building a partnership. That was the key.

“Then with the batting, we had a half-decent opening partnership to start with and then it was down to Neil.

“I thought he was exceptional, taking it late and going big with a 70-plus score.

“That’s a match-winning knock.

“The batting this week clicked a bit more, we took it deep and built partnerships. That wins games of cricket.”

Mitchell’s men travel to second-placed Parley Seconds on Saturday (1.30pm).

Weymouth Seconds had no fixture but return to action on Saturday at home to Bournemouth Fifths in County Division Six (1.30pm).

The Seasiders were overtaken at the top of the standings by Marnhull Thirds, who beat Parley Fourths by six wickets.

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