PARLEY 160-9 (7pts) beat WEYMOUTH 159-9 (17pts) by one wicket
SEASIDERS' skipper Dean Janaway praised his side for the "fantastic effort" they showed against the odds in this enthralling encounter at Redlands.
The hosts lost a vital toss on a wet pitch and did well to set a defendable total but in the end it was not quite enough despite a spirited display in the field.
Janaway said: "Matthew Stickland batted really well for them. He's only a young lad and his runs proved the difference in the end but we put on a cracking effort.
"Everything went against us. It was a really important toss to win and it was just a shame that we did not quite get there after being so close to winning it.
"It was very difficult for the batsmen and 159 on a bit of a pudding of a pitch was a really great effort. Tom Steadman batted superbly to give us some impetus before he then got out to a stupid run-out.
"The pitch was drying out all the time and we knew we needed to take some early wickets and Brett Mugridge did exactly that.
"That put some pressure on them but they responded with a good partnership. Cube Whyte then had a really good spell and Michael Pearce was excellent as well.
"They reached 158-7 needing only two runs to win but we never gave up and came back with two wickets in two balls. Andrew Fulton took a good catch before Paul Payne got another direct hit run-out like he did last week.
"Michael Pearce then went close when the ball went through bat and pad. How it did not bowl the guy I do not know. They then went on to get the runs they needed. It was a fantastic effort by the lads and a great game."
Jim Ryall (32) and Janaway (10) put on a first-wicket stand of 30 before Neil Summerson bowled the home skipper in the 15th over.
With the run-rate slow, Tom England (4), Paul Payne (10) and Dave Pearce (2) all came in and tried to up the pace but they failed as Thomson (2-38) and Raj Naik (3-22) continued to keep their bowling tight.
Struggling on 78-4, Weymouth desperately needed a good contribution from their middle-order and Tom Steadman provided it with five fours and one six in a fine 35.
The Seasiders suddenly looked on course for 175 but Naik then bowled Fulton before Steadman pushed his luck on a quick run and was punished.
With the wicket drying out all the time, Weymouth needed an early breakthrough in Parley's reply and Mugridge (2-32) provided it by bowling Kelvin Sutherland (0) and causing Gavin Oldbury (1) to find the hands of Ryall.
On 9-2, the visitors responded with a fantastic half-century by Matthew Stickland (62). The youngster faced 100 balls and hit just two boundaries in what was a gutsy knock.
Despite his efforts, Weymouth continued to take wickets with Whyte (3-24) and Michael Pearce (2-32) producing the goods but it was not quite enough as last pair Christopher Blake (18) and David Payne (2) held their nerve to muster the winning runs.
REDLANDS SCOREBOARD
WEYMOUTH
Ryall b Payne 32
Janaway b Summerson 10
England b Thomson 4
P Payne b Thomson 10
D Pearce c Yates b Naik 2
Steadman run out 35
Fulton b Naik 10
Nobbs b Naik 9
Mugridge b Summerson 0
M Pearce not out 6
Whyte not out 6
Extras (1nb, 22w, 8lb, 4b) 35
Total (9wkts, 50overs) 159
FoW: 30-1, 46-2, 76-3, 78-4, 106-5, 117-6, 146-7, 146-8, 148-9.
Bowling: D Payne 10-2-18-1, Yates 10-2-20-0, Summerson 10-0-45-2, Thomson 10-1-38-2, Naik 9-0-22-3, Stickland 1-0-4-0.
PARLEY
Sutherland b Mugridge 0
Oldbury c Ryall b Mugridge 1
Stickland c D Pearce b M Pearce 62
Naik lbw b Nobbs 4
Summerson c Payne b M Pearce 26
Yates b Whyte 6
Luther b Whyte 0
Jacques c Fulton b Whyte 16
Blake not out 18
Thomson run out 0
D Payne not out 2
Extras (1nb, 15w, 6lb, 3b) 25
Total (9wkts, 45.2overs) 160
FoW: 0-1, 9-2, 23-3, 85-4, 99-5, 99-6, 127-7, 158-8, 158-9.
Bowling: Mugridge 10-0-32-2, Nobbs 6.2-1-21-1, Fulton 4-0-16-0, M Pearce 10-1-32-2, L Whyte 10-2-24-3, P Payne 5-1-26-0.
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