WIMBORNE & COLEHILL 257-9 (19pts) beat Dorchester 161-9 (7pts) by 96 runs

A CAPTAIN’S innings from Wimborne & Colehill’s Andy Hayward sentenced Dorchester to a third successive defeat in the Dorset Premier League.

The visiting skipper plundered 92 runs at a crucial time in the match after a bright start from the home attack had reduced the league leaders to 32-3.

Hayward combined superbly with Ashley Collison (43) to form a fourth-wicket stand of 87 and put the away side firmly in the driving seat.

And with late contributions from tail-enders Grant Cormack (26) and Max Collins (21 not out), Wimborne closed on 257-9.

Dorchester’s response was positive but when the first man was dismissed with the score on 44, wickets then fell at regular intervals and the hosts, despite seeing out their allotted overs, finished almost 100 runs short.

County town captain Martyn Richards said: “What made the difference was at 32-3 they had a big partnership of 87 between their captain Andy Hayward and Ashley Collison.

“They both batted well but they rode their luck a bit and that gave them a platform to accelerate the innings a bit later on.

“Our guys bowled well and worked hard. Whereas the previous week we didn’t really deserve much luck, this week I thought we did, but we didn’t get any.

“Generally we took our chances, I think there was only one chance we missed, and we felt we were a bit unlucky to concede 257.

“But that said the pitch was really good and the outfield was fast.

“It was much the same story at Wimborne, in that five an over is not really a challenge if you bat sensibly.

“But many of us gave our wickets away. Andy Hayward didn’t play a shot in anger all afternoon whereas a few of our guys did.

“A couple of us weren’t as fortunate as their guys were though, and both Pete Moxom and Dan Belt were unlucky with their lbw decisions.

“We got off to a good start but unfortunately we needed a partnership similar to the one they had.

“The spirit was really good though and I felt we deserved to get a lot more out of the game than we did.

“It was one of those days where they performed well and we were 10 or 20 per cent off a good performance.”