DORCHESTER captain James Dunham expects Stalbridge to avoid a repeat of their opening-day drubbing and take his side “the whole way” in their Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League clash tomorrow (1pm).
Dunham’s men were in rampant form during their season curtain-raiser, bowling Stalbridge out for a paltry 47 before completing a nine-wicket victory at Dorchester Rec.
The Dorchester skipper expects a completely different slant on the return fixture and is wary of the players Stalbridge possess in their armoury.
But the county town side head into the encounter having delivered a convincing eight-wicket triumph over Sherborne to end a run of two defeats.
Dunham told Echosport: “We spoke about the two defeats, it was always going to happen.
“To react the way we did against Sherborne was nearly the perfect victory.
“Everyone was really positive and that was the difference – it was really good to see.
“It’s not very often you win a game of cricket like the first (Stalbridge) game. We’re definitely not expecting it to be the same.
“They’ve got some good results since then and they’ve got the kind of players to score a hundred or take a fifer.
“They will want to give us a good game and take us the whole way – they’ll have the depth to do that.”
He added: “I don’t think we’ve ever played on a bad Stalbridge pitch. It offers a bit for the batsmen and the bowlers and makes for a perfect cricket game.
“We’ve got a pretty balanced side and we’ll have to bowl to our abilities to get the ball moving around, and then reach the boundary with the batsmen.
“It should be a good test and one we’re looking forward to.”
Dorchester make just one change as Arunn Samynathan is replaced by Will McKay.
Dunham said: “Arunn picked up a bit of an injury against Sherborne and will drop to the seconds.”
Dorchester: Q Miller, Belt, McKay, Morris, Mitchem, Anderson, Roe, Walklett, Dunham, Richardson, Macklin
n Dorchester Seconds host Sherborne Seconds at the Rec in County Division Three tomorrow.
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