SHERBORNE 198 (11pts) lost to BERE REGIS 207-9 (19pts) by nine runs

BERE Regis got their new Wessex Internet Dorset Premier League campaign off to the perfect start with a nine-run victory at Sherborne.

Brian Keegan’s men are this season determined to right the wrongs of last season, in which they underperformed against teams ranked beneath them, eventually finishing fourth.

In this new era of Dorset cricket, under the ECB umbrella, teams in Premier One are playing in coloured clothing using pink balls in a 50-over format during the first five weeks.

Bere, playing in their new green and yellow strip, made an imperious start despite being asked to bat first in bowler-friendly conditions.

READ MORE: Bere Regis beat Dorchester by three wickets

Teenagers James Keegan and Tom Munnings stormed out of the traps, piling on 99 for the first wicket.

Munnings was particularly impressive, scoring 54 from 42 balls to add to a century for school side Milton Abbey already this season.

However, after hitting seven fours and a six, he fell to Ryan Buckley (4-23) who also dismissed Keegan for a well-crafted 31.

Buckley then removed new Bere signing Eral Anderson (1) cheaply as Sherborne took three wickets for five runs.

Cameron Robertson (6) and Tim Goodhew (4) were other casualties of the Sherborne fightback as Bere required solid knocks from Sam Goodhew (33) and Rich Cole (28no) to get them to 207-9.

Bere took two early wickets in defence of their total but were frustrated by Mark Roca’s fluent 64.

However, off-spinner Dean Rogerson (4-32) helped turn the tide towards Bere as Cole caught the opener, before Rogerson claimed three more wickets.

This included big-hitting Tim Durston (24) but Sherborne were still in the game at 161-5 as Buckley was well set.

Buckley (51no) threatened to guide his side over the winning line until Munnings (3-44) stepped up for his side with the ball, claiming two crucial wickets.

Going into the final two overs, Sherborne needed only 13 runs with one wicket remaining.

Relieving the tension was Munnings again, the all-rounder ousting Paul Hancock (0) as Bere closed out the win with Buckley stranded at the other end.

Bere skipper Brian Keegan told Echosport: “We’re chuffed. With the weather we’ve had, there was always going to be damp in the wicket.

“James and Tom between the two of them made the game look very easy, a dream start.

“It was the sort of wicket that once you got in you could manoeuvre the ball around on.

“Rich did a real good job shepherding the tail, getting us up to 207.

“In the field, Mark Roca batted really well for them, and so did Ryan Buckley, but we kept plugging away and getting wickets.

“We stuck in there and it’s something that in the past we probably haven’t had enough application.

“There’s still things we could do better but I’m overjoyed we got the win. We haven’t started well in previous years so it’s nice to reverse that.”

Elsewhere, Bere Regis Seconds beat Sherborne Seconds by four wickets in County Division Two.