Weymouth beat Shillingstone by ten wickets

WEYMOUTH rocketed to a ten-wicket thumping of Shillingstone as the Seasiders moved up to fourth in County Division Two.

Harry Mitchell’s side have now won three of their past four games, setting them up nicely for make-or-break meetings with the top three: Beaminster, Chalke Valley and Charlton Down.

However, the manner of this victory will have caught the attention of their rivals as Weymouth chased down their target of 147 in 15 overs without losing a wicket.

Weymouth were asked to field after losing the toss on a warm day at Shillingstone but Sam Polley (1-22) made an early breakthrough with the wicket of Stuart Antell (11).

READ MORE: Weymouth beat Dorchester Seconds by seven wickets

Robin Cunningham (18) dug in for Shillingstone until Pete Sapsworth (2-21) took two quick wickets, removing him and Hugo Hartley (7).

Will Salisbury (21 off 15) struck two sixes in his innings but Tim Guyett (2-37) breached his defences after trapping James Chatton (7) lbw as Weymouth reduced the hosts to 88-5.

Leg-spinner Shafeek Urumancheri (4-26) then bowled with excellent control and tore through the tail, working around the defiant efforts of Jamie Weldon (49).

Mitchell’s off-spin eventually accounted for Weldon, who was stumped by Kieron Womble just one run shy of his half-century having scored eight fours and a six.

Set a tricky target of 147, Weymouth made light work of the chase as John Wilson and Lloyd Beals proved in inspired form.

They showed no mercy to Shillingstone’s attack, brutally dismissing anything in their arc as they both sprinted to half-centuries.

Severe punishment was also dished out to the division’s top wicket-taker, David Lockyer, whose eight overs went for 74 runs.

As both batters drove each other on, Beals (67no) blasted 12 fours in his innings and brought up his fifty in 35 balls.

Wilson (63no) was equally prolific, smashing 11 boundaries and two sixes and lifted his bat from 38 balls.

Completing Shillingstone’s misery, Beals hit the winning runs with a no-ball four as the duo recorded a scintillating 151-run partnership in just 90 balls.

Speaking to Echosport, Mitchell labelled the pair’s partnership as “special”.

He said: “It was as close to a perfect team performance as you’re going to get.

“Apart from two dropped catches and a missed run out it was pretty much bang on. The ground fielding was excellent, every bowler contributed.

“The first half of the game was excellent, the second half was silly.

“As opening stands go, it was pretty much perfection. Obviously, you’ve got to put the bad balls away but hitting the good balls straight, hard, long – anything off-length was dispatched.

“Apparently they were challenging themselves to score the quickest fifty, to get 150.

“To do it in that fashion before the first drinks break, it was special.”

Weymouth Seconds remain unbeaten with a nine-wicket win over Parley Fourths in County Division Six.

Dorset Trade Skills men of the match: John Wilson and Lloyd Beals