PUDDLETOWN 118 (6pts) v BEAMINSTER 38-1 (10pts) – match abandoned

RAIN robbed Beaminster of the chance to follow up a crushing bowling performance against Puddletown at Plush in County Division One.

Beaminster bowled with pace, accuracy and nibble up top after winning the toss and choosing to field first with rain around.

Opener Ben Fry (2-15) and new signing Will Owen (2-47) took care of the top order and were it not for a fluent 37 from Regan Norman, Puddletown might have struggled further.

In the end, he was stumped amid a superb spell of sharp turn from leg-spinner Ollie Bareham (5-26).

READ MORE: Puddletown beat Stalbridge by six runs

All-rounder Adam Weir (21) and James Morris (16) were the only other batters to contribute (21) significantly as Puddletown were skittled for 118.

Rich Runyard (32) got Beaminster off to a flyer in typical fashion before Ryan Norman (1-8) snuck one through his gate.

However, drizzle turned to persistent rain and the match was abandoned only six overs into the visitors’ reply with the score on 38-1.

Speaking to Echosport, Puddle skipper Ryan Norman said: “We gave wickets away cheaply with poor shots.

“The only one who really batted well was Regan, he lost his balance and got stumped. James applied himself, Adam Weir applied himself. Then the rest of us didn’t.

“It wasn’t a stunning bowling performance by any stretch but we definitely contributed massively to the score, or lack of.

“There were bits of drizzle throughout, we were bowled out at 3.25pm so we had to go back out.

“I got a wicket with the fifth ball of my first over and then it was coming on pretty heavy. We’d had an over of it relatively heavy.

“At that stage we bowled one more ball and said we’d take tea, as you would at four o’clock. Then it didn’t let up, it was quite torrential.

“Then we made the decision we just weren’t going to get back on.”

Puddletown Seconds also abandoned midway through their Division Five match at Winton Seconds.