DORCHESTER 247-8 (8pts) lost to SHERBORNE 251-7 (19pts) by 3 wickets

DORCHESTER skipper Simon Mitchem was almost lost for words after the bad luck his side suffered at Sherborne on Saturday.

The visitors lost two players to injury during the Dorset Premier League match, leaving them an almost impossible task of completing back-to-back victories.

Shaun Little took a blow to the foot while batting and fellow bowler James Dunham dislocated a thumb when fielding.

Frustratingly for Mitchem’s troops, they had put themselves in a good position at tea following Will Caldwell’s fine 78 and a knock of 38 from Quenton Miller.

The duo, making their first appearances of the season, put on 105 for the third wicket.

Mitchem himself added an unbeaten 35, Pete Phillips made a useful 19, while the hosts conceded no fewer than 46 extras.

Andrew Nurton was the most economical of the Sherborne attack with figures of 2-37 in Dorchester’s final total of 247-8.

Without Little, the visitors knew they would be up against it when the home side came out to bat, but they couldn’t have imagined losing a second bowler to injury.

Dunham had bowled five of his 10 overs when he took a tumble when gathering the ball.

It was a huge blow to Dorchester’s chances, after they had made such a good start in the field.

Dunham trapped opener Dan Baker leg before for nought with the score on five, then Dan Belt bowled Nurton for seven.

But a fourth-wicket partnership of 132 between Shane Snater (78) and Emlyn Kuhn (83) did the damage for Sherborne.

Belt eventually dismissed Snater and Tom Blair removed Kuhn, however, Tim Durston (14no) helped guide the hosts to victory in the 47th over.

“Our batting was great, we couldn’t have done any more,” said Mitchem.

“Will and Quenton put on 105 together and both played really well. Shaun then injured his foot and James dislocated his thumb as he went down to field the ball.

“We played with nine men for a while and we just had to hang in there.

“Pete Diffey came on as a substitute for the last 18 overs and we kept our heads up.

“We gave it our best shot but didn’t have enough to bowl them out.”

Dorchester remain one place off the bottom of the table and host reigning champions Poole next.

Elsewhere, Dorchester Seconds lost to Beaminster by 37 runs in County Division Three.