WIMBORNE & COLEHILL 121-4 (19pts) beat DORCHESTER 118 (3pts) by six wickets

DORCHESTER saw their unbeaten record shattered at the Leaze as Wimborne & Colehill took a comprehensive six-wicket victory in their top-of-the-table Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League clash.

In a rain-affected game, reduced to 35 overs per side, Wimborne won the toss and put Dorchester into bat.

The visitors, who had not been bowled out all season during their six consecutive wins, were instantly in trouble as Ed Bartlett (3-10) ripped through their top order, dismissing Dan Belt (0), and last week’s centurions Will Caldwell (11) and Bharat Popli (6) cheaply.

Simon Mitchem (1) then became the first of three victims for Tom Caines (3-29), before Eral Anderson (37) and Will McKay shared a 33-run stand for the fifth wicket.

George Bartlett (1-27) brought the partnership to a halt by ousting McKay, and Anderson quickly followed to spinner Caines as Dorchester wobbled on 77-6.

Thereafter, only Josh Richardson (28) provided resistance before he was run out, Dorchester stumbling to 118 all out.

In reply, Dorchester took the key wicket of Colin Randall (0) first ball courtesy of Belt (1-21) but the former’s replacement Mark House (64no) cut loose, cracking 11 fours and a six.

Jack Walklett (1-25) picked up the scalp of opener James Miller (19) to leave Wimborne on 66-2, before Richardson (2-32) took two wickets in two balls as the hosts scrambled to 89-4.

However, House was able to see Wimborne home with the help of Graham Cole (11no) as Wimborne usurped Dorchester at the top of the league by a single point, with Poole two points behind in third.

Speaking to Echosport after the game, returning skipper James Dunham felt Dorchester had been outplayed in every department.

He said: “Wimborne batted better, fielded better and bowled better than us. We weren’t on our game. It’s a learning curve and we were never expecting to win every game.

“When first plays second it’s never going to be straightforward. They were better than us from ball one, so hats off to Wimborne.

“We’ll put it down to execution. If we’re going to win the league with the players we’ve got you expect to adapt to situations.

“The pendulum could’ve swung if we had got 30 more runs on the board.

“It was always an important game for either side to win. If we won we’re 35 points clear but we’re now on an even playing field.”

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