POOLE 297-7 (20pts) beat WEYMOUTH 113 (4pts) by 184 runs

IT was party time at Poole Park as the hosts swept aside a weakened Weymouth outfit to claim the Premier One title, with a resounding 184-run win.

Needing only a handful of points to ensure the league crown was won during the penultimate game of the season, the Seasiders could do nothing to stop their rampant hosts piling on the runs and posting a mammoth total of 297 from their 50 overs.

However, positives did come for the visitors with impressive bowling performances from two products of the side’s youth set up in Joe James and Luke Lovett.

James bowled an economical spell of 0-15 from his four overs, and Lovett snared his first wicket for the first team when he had Rich Armstrong caught by stand-in skipper Matt Lawes for just four.

In reply with the bat, Lawes was the only man to reach double figures with a valuable and patient knock of 67.

But the hosts scored just 87 runs themselves off the bat in a miserly total of 113 all out, which included a staggering five ducks in total.

Captain Lawes told Echosport: “Poole were a very good team, they had a very good side out packed full of good bowling and good batting.

“It was a long 50 overs in the field and it got quite hot too but we stuck at it well.”

Commenting on the youngsters’ performances, he added: Joe James and Luke Lovett both came in and bowled really well, which is positive for the club.

“Joe bowled really well, I set a field for him and he bowled to it which is what you need and he didn’t try too hard and Luke got his first wicket for the first team which is great news.

“It was nice to get some runs and I enjoyed it,” Lawes added, speaking about his own innings at the top of the Seasiders’ order.

“I just had to be selfish, bat long and do what I could do, I was annoyed that I got out at the end but it’s nice to get runs especially up at Poole Park.”