STALBRIDGE 282-6 (19pts) beat DORCHESTER 281-9 (11pts) by one run

DORCHESTER suffered a heartbreaking one-run loss at the hands of Stalbridge in the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier Division.

Stalbridge elected to bat and set a total that Dorchester failed to beat by the narrowest of margins but which still sees them earn 11 points.

Simon Mitchem pulled out with injury but was replaced by 15-year old Billy Baker, who made an immediate impact when he bowled Josh York to take Stalbridge’s first wicket.

However, by this point the home side already had 121 runs on the board.

Stalbridge’s total was further extended to 206 before Quenton Miller caught James Lewis, who hit an impressive 135, from a ball from Dorchester captain James Dunham.

The runs began to dry up for the home side with Joshua Richardson catching from Simon Sweatman from a Will McKay delivery to reduce Stalbridge once more, with them on 241-3.

Ultimately, Stalbridge only lost three further wickets before the 50 overs were up and posted an intimidating 282 for Dorchester to chase.

The county town side had a tough start at the crease as Quenton Miller was dismissed before a run was struck after being trapped lbw by Sweatman.

With McKay dismissed after being caught by Lewis with 16 runs on the board, the target of 282 looked a long way off.

However, Dorchester began to pull it back.

Dan Morris was caught by George Coleman with 39 runs on the board but this prompted the arrival of a strong partnership between Eral Anderson and Dan Belt.

The duo put on a 105-run pairing before Belt was caught by Andy Dike.

Anderson was then caught by Jon Fryer after a superb 93 with Dorchester seemingly in reach on 191-5.

Ben Macklin hit a half-century before the runs began drying up however.

Dorchester required five runs from the last over to seal victory but could only hit four in a thrilling finish.

Dunham said: “We gave a good effort and maybe I feel that we should have won the game but unfortunately that is the way cricket goes sometimes and we take our hats off to them for that.

“When a run chase gets that short you try and pick up and analyse every single run and sometimes that is not the best thing to do.”

“Everyone knows what we could have improved on and what we did well and then we will then go through it in training but sometimes it is best just to let people reflect themselves really.”

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