STALBRIDGE 174 (18pts) beat DORCHESTER 83 (5pts) by 91 runs.

DORCHESTER were bowled out cheaply for the third game in succession as Stalbridge took a comfortable victory in their Dorset Funeral Plan Premier Division clash at The Park.

Bowling first after winning the toss, Dorchester performed well once more in limiting the hosts to 174 all out as Josh Walklett (2-22) and Eiron Fitzgerald (3-16) did the majority of the damage.

Veteran seamer Steve Forshaw (3-10) then removed Dan Belt (7), Quenton Miller (0) and captain Simon Mitchem (8) as Dorchester‘s reply got off to a sorry start.

Wickets fell regularly with only Ben Macklin (32no) reaching double figures as Dorchester failed to reach 100 for the second time in three matches.

Stalbridge had posted a modest total after solid scores from James Lewis (25) and Seb Carty (40) as Walklett dragged his side back into the game.

Fitzgerald’s haul ensured Dorchester would require an achievable 175 to win but Dorchester were quickly put on the back foot by Forshaw’s accuracy.

Despite the best efforts of Macklin, Andy Dike claimed 4-18 with his left-arm unorthodox spin as Dorchester were soundly beaten.

Club skipper Simon Mitchem was left to rue his side’s lack of reward for what he felt was a bowling display as good as the hosts’.

He told Echosport: “We bowled really well again and were unlucky not to get wickets quicker than we did. We could have restricted them to 150.

“We didn’t bowl any worse than them and we have nothing to show for it.”

Batting was again the most troublesome department for the county town outfit but Mitchem would not lay blame on his top order.

“The top four didn’t really do too much wrong. Nick Roe was out to a catch at second slip which was one of the best I’ve seen.

“It just didn’t go our way. When you’re in that situation it’s hard to get out of it.

“A lot of people were just out to the type of balls that Stalbridge played and missed to, it’s so frustrating. Ben Macklin batted really well but we’ve got to start scoring runs. It would breed confidence and we’re short of that at the moment,” he added.

Dorchester’s loss leaves them third-bottom ahead of a trip to Shroton on Saturday. The hosts are two places above Mitchem’s side in sixtth having inflicted a crushing 155-run defeat on previously unbeaten Broadstone.

n Dorchester Seconds (137-1) beat Ashmore (133) by nine wickets.

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