8:43am Friday 3rd July 2009
By Rob Meech
WEYMOUTH Seconds visit Dorset League Division Two strugglers Bridport tomorrow (2pm) seeking to secure back-to-back away victories.
The second-placed Seasiders overturned Wimborne Seconds by four runs in a thrilling tussle last weekend and are on their travels again for this local derby.
Skipper John Ryan, whose side steamrollered Bridport by 162 runs in the curtain raiser, has another win at the forefront of his mind.
However, he is wary of tomorrow’s mercurial hosts, who have shown significant improvements since their opening-day debacle.
Ryan said: “We had a comprehensive victory over Bridport in May but they had a difficult start and didn’t seem prepared whereas we had prepared extensively.
“Speaking to them after the game, they felt they hadn’t done themselves justice so they will want to prove something to us this time around.
“Looking at their results it’s clear they have improved since then but we go into the game high in confidence and with good form behind us.”
Bridport will look to Joe Ashton, who returned match-winning figures of 8-37 against Witchampton last Saturday, to lead their bowling attack.
Off-spinner Ashton’s return to the side following a four-week injury lay-off coincided with the Brewery Ground outfit’s first victory in a month.
Their captain, all-rounder Chris Backhouse, has also been in good form with bat and ball, and his self-promotion to number five has proved a masterstroke.
Ryan has yet to finalise the composition of his side, with Vijay Mote and Rob Nobbs vying for one spot.
Michael Pearce and Simon Browne replace Hugh Lawes and Graham Puckett.
Meanwhile, Backhouse welcomes back young batsman Luke King, who has earned a recall to the first-team.
Backhouse’s dad, Dave, has been omitted having come out of retirement last week for an encore against Witchampton.
Weymouth Seconds (from): Lamb, Jarvis, Browne, Womble, Budd, Fitzgerald, Doidge, Trotter, Pearce, Ryan, Nobbs, Mote.
Bridport: Backhouse, Good, Gay, King, Rowe, Ashton, Croft, Nicholls, Oliver, Smith, Tozer.
* Weymouth Thirds face a trip to fellow promotion hopefuls Stalbridge Seconds tomorrow (2pm).
The Seasiders, who lie third in Dorset League Division Five, are just 0.22 behind their opponents in the averages.
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