Cricket: Delph dismay as Dorchester crash

DORCHESTER will have to wait another week in their bid to secure a second win on their return to the top flight, after losing early wickets cost them against Broadstone.

Skipper Simon Mitchem won the toss and decided to make first use with the bat on a slow wicket at the Delph.

But the county town side were in disarray early when they were reduced to 39-6.

Mitchem (38) helped steady the ship before he was caught off the bowling of Ross Tooley.

And contributions from the lower order through Nick Roe (16), Eiron Fitzgerald (23) and George Foot (31) meant the visitors at least gave themselves something to bowl at when the teams turned around.

Dorchester posted 154 all out from 48.3 overs.

“I chose to bat but I didn’t really know what to do at the toss, I wanted to lose it really!” said skipper Mitchem.

“It was a very slow wicket and it was one of them where you could have made a case for batting or bowling first.

“I was trying to be positive in batting first and getting 200 on the board, which would have been nice.

“It wasn’t an ideal start and, going in, you have to try and not get out but keep scoring runs as well.

“To get to 154 from when we were 40-odd for six was good and it wasn’t far off being a winning total.”

A score of 47 from Broadstone’s James Brown helped them on their way to chasing their target for the loss of six wickets.

As well as chipping in well with the bat for Dorchester, it was Foot who excelled with the ball returning figures of 3-30 from his 10 overs.

“If we could have got up to 200 with another 40 runs or so it would have been very competitive,” added Mitchem.

“We just needed someone to go on and get that 70 or 80 but, considering how inexperienced we are as a whole, we are still competing with these teams. We are just a tiny bit off where we need to be.

“It’s so important for someone to build a platform for you. Even if they bat 50 overs for 80 or 90 not out and then everyone else chips in, you have a good chance.”