POOLE TOWN 142 (17pts) beat Dorchester 140 (10pts) by two runs

DORCHESTER suffered an agonising defeat in their final outing of 2012.

Visiting Poole Town were skittled for a fairly modest 142 at the Rec but the county town outfit were unable to surpass that total, missing out on a final-day victory by just three runs.

Nevertheless, newly-appointed skipper Dan Belt, who top scored with 45, was pleased with his side’s efforts.

Belt, overseeing his first official match as captain, said: “We bowled them out for 142 but we were all out for 140 with just under seven overs to go.

“It was a very intense finish and we were very unfortunate not to win it.

“We kept a decent team to a low total but it was only myself, with 45, who got a fairly big score.

“People chipped in with double-figure scores but it wasn’t enough to see us over the line.

“All the youngsters did well in the field though, so I’m pleased. It would have been nice to have finished on a high but it wasn’t to be.”

Having finished in the lower half of the table for the first time since earning promotion from Division One back in 2007, Belt is targeting an improved show next summer.

He added: “The younger players will be a bit older next year and if we can have a good pre-season, hopefully we will go on to have a good season as well.”

Dorchester fielded their most inexperienced side of the summer in Saturday’s Dorset Premier League finale.

However, a number of their talented teenagers delivered fine displays.

Opening bowlers Will Caldwell (2-28) and James Dunham (2-11) led an excellent home attack, which claimed wickets at regular intervals.

Had it not been for the efforts of Martin Miller (60) the visitors would have struggled to reach triple figures.

The county town response followed a fairly similar pattern with Belt the only man to make any real impression on the scoreboard.

The ninth wicket fell with the score on 137, but Dunham (6) could only add three further runs before he was caught by Dave Miller, off the bowling of Kristian Thomas (3-22).

That meant Dorchester were just two runs shy of a tie and three short of victory.