CHALKE VALLEY 124-4 (20pts) beat MARTINSTOWN 120 (3pts) by six wickets

MARTINSTOWN were comfortably beaten by Wessex Internet Dorset Premier Two title rivals Chalke Valley.

Town, who won the Doug Read Cup final 24 hours previously, lost the toss and were rolled out for 120, with Chalke chasing their target for the loss of only six wickets.

The result leaves Chalke 3.63 average points ahead of second-placed Martinstown in the standings.

With rain loitering, Chalke decision to bowl first proved wise upon winning the toss.

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However, Martinstown were going along nicely at 91-2 having lost only openers Henry Lewis (35) and Ed Nichols (14), both to Oliver Weld (6-20).

With skipper Charlie Durant calling for an increase in tempo, Town then lost eight wickets for 29 runs as Weld completed his six-for.

Off-spinner Joshua Goodchild also weighed in with 4-15 from six overs as Ry Gerety (15) and Sean Williams (10) were the only other batters to break double figures.

Chalke also gifted 24 extras to Town in 41 overs but the low total was swiftly dealt with by the hosts.

That was despite a stunning burst of 3-32 from overseas star Demario Slocombe, who bowled Dorset League top-scorer Joe Weld for only nine.

Chalke soon established their dominant batting style, though, as Max Dowling (47no) and Oliver Weld (27) scored quickly.

While the latter was run out, Guy Souch ended unbeaten on 13, accompanying Dowling to the finish line inside 22 overs.

Speaking to Echosport, Durant said: “There was a bit of rain around when we got to 30 overs and we’d scored quite slowly up to that point.

“I said to the lads to pick it up a little bit and we collapsed from there.

“We weren’t really good enough with the bat to win the game, they were the better side.”

Durant added: “I will take some of the blame but also some of the onus is on the batsmen for giving a few wickets away.

“They bowled well, in the right areas on a tricky pitch. They got their reward. So, it’s unfortunate but we put up a much better fight in the second half of the day.

“Demario with a really, really good opening spell, the best he’s bowled since he got here.

“We didn’t have enough runs on the board but there are positives to take.”

Asked how short Town were, Durant replied: “If we had another 60-80 runs we’d have won, especially with the way Demario bowled.

“If we got their number four out, I felt we could’ve run through them. I think 180 to 200 would’ve been a good score.”

Elsewhere, Martinstown Seconds’ clash with Poole Town Fourths was washed out.

Main sponsor:  The Brewers Arms, Martinstown.