WEYMOUTH 137-4 (20pts) beat WIMBORNE & COLEHILL SECONDS 136 (4pts) by six wickets

SIMON Browne was delighted that his side could end their near two-year wait for a home win with a dominative performance over Wimborne & Colehill Seconds.

Browne took 5-21 in the first innings as his side bowled out the visitors for just 136.

In reply, Paul Payne – playing his last game for the club this season – scored 42 as the hosts waltzed over the line with more than 12 overs to spare.

After the game a happy Browne said: “I like winning. I don’t care who we beat and this is what it is all about.

“Not winning at home for nearly two years has been a bit demoralising, so the fact that we got over the line today was fantastic.

“It’s ironic because the last win was against Wimborne (& Colehill) and this one was against the same opposition.

“I am really pleased and the last few wins has given us some confidence.

“We’ve showed we’re not as bad as people have made us out to be.”

On a scorching day at Redlands, the smart choice seemed to be bat first and that’s exactly what the visitors did having won the toss.

Their openers, Darren Jones and Chris Dunk, started well, putting on 24 before Dunk was removed by Dan Hutchens for 16 after a good catch from the captain Browne.

Browne, coming on as first change, had Jones stumped by Dave Blackman for 22.

Graham Puckett got in on the act soon after to remove Jon Wilton (11) before Browne snaffled his second wicket, that of Tom Butcher.

He then saw off Justin Perry for 23 – Wimborne’s highest score of the day – as the visitors stumbled to 109-5.

They lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs as Harry Mitchell (2-11) and Joe James (1-25) also picked up scalps.

The chase seemed relatively straightforward for the home side and Dean Janaway (11) and Michael Pearce (15) started to chip away at the target.

After Janaway was dismissed, Payne was the enforcer, scoring seven fours and one six as he looked to win the game on his own.

But he was out playing one shot too many with the hosts needing just 13 for the elusive win.

Nerves didn’t settle in for either Neil Walton or Dom Webb as they saw Weymouth over the line to give them their third victory in a row.

Browne added: “We were unlucky at the start of the season to lose as many as we did, so I hope we can kick on now and reverse the bad start of six losses and one win.”