BEAMINSTER ended their season with a second successive defeat but they did enough against Sherborne 2nd XI to make sure of second place in NSA Saturday Division One.

Although Beaminster restricted Sherborne to 172-9 from 45 overs, they could only reply with 163 and slid to a disappointing nine-run defeat against mid-table opposition.

Sherborne batted consistently with R Carter (35), G McKinnon (28) and C Saunders (26) all making useful runs.

Simon Jones with 3-26 from 11 overs was the pick of the Beaminster attack but there were three wickets also for Paul Martin, who ended with 3-66 from 12 overs.

Richard Bugler carried his excellent batting form into the final game of the season with a polished 35 to send Beaminster on their way towards a target that should have been well within range of their batting talents.

Simon Jones weighed in with 24 while Ross Baker and young Matt Walklett both impressed with innings of 23 and 16 respectively.

But Beaminster were unable to provide the dominant innings needed and although very much in the game at 141-6 after 39 overs, their reply faded into failure against the bowling of Saunders, who claimed 5-18 from 5.5 overs.

Beaminster finish runners-up for the second time in three seasons, leaving skipper Ian Hutchings to reflect with mixed feelings on his first summer in charge.

He said: "I am happy to have achieved what we have achieved this season but I am disappointed with the fact that we were always in with a chance of winning the title until we were beaten at Blandford.

"We have to take the positive view that people are performing. That is important and I don't think we can be too down."