WEYMOUTH 149 (5pts) lost to BROADSTONE 154-6 (19pts) by 4 wickets

BATTING demons returned to haunt Weymouth in their final game of the season at Redlands, as the home side suffered a monumental collapse to come unstuck against Broadstone.

The Seasiders were going along nicely on 138-3 with a large majority of their innings left, but they threw away the opportunity to post a competitive total by losing seven wickets for just 11 runs.

“It was an absolute nightmare with terrible run-outs and poor decisions,” said club chairman and last man out John Ryan.

“With around 20 overs to go we were thinking we would be really happy with around 250 and that would be a good score.

“It was a real shame because the top order got us off to a really good start and the middle and lower order just completely collapsed from underneath us.”

Although all-rounder Matt Lawes (4-16) was fit enough to take the new ball and storm through Broadstone’s top order, Weymouth knew that on a good Redlands surface they were always going to struggle defending such a miserly total.

And to rub salt into the wounds of the Seasiders, Broadstone cleared the ropes from the final delivery to win the game.

Ryan added: “It was a bit of a mad game really, we had a weakened side but they had a weakened side as well so it was a battle of which side could stick up to it a bit better.

“We had a chance and got them six down but we couldn’t get the left-handed opener out early enough. The bowlers nearly got us out of it and I have never seen Matt Lawes bowl so quickly.

“He was off his full run for the first time in six or seven weeks after suffering his injury. The problem was that nobody really backed him up with wickets.”

The defeat means Weymouth have now lost four on the bounce in Premier One, and it gets no easier as they travel to champions-elect Poole and then Parley in their final two games.