MARTINSTOWN 207 (7pts) lost to BROADSTONE 208-6 (20pts) by 4 wickets

A KNOCK of 74 from skipper Ed Nichols wasn’t enough to give Martinstown successive Dorset Premier League victories for the first time this summer.

Looking to back up the previous weekend’s defeat of Dorchester, Nichols’ men were undone by the side they had beaten on the opening day of the season.

In spite of the loss at Lower Ashton Farm, Martinstown stay sixth in the table, a point better off than Stalbridge and five ahead of Swanage.

Nichols came out on top in the first battle of the clash with Broadstone on Saturday, winning the toss and electing to bat first on a wicket they had scored nearly 200 on seven days earlier.

Lee House (11) lost his wicket with the score on 23 but Nichols and Steve Gerety took the total past 50 before the latter was bowled by Steve Trembath (2-30) for 13.

Sam Kershaw, on top form with the ball against Dorchester, became Trembath’s second victim when he went for just three.

Four runs later, Carlyle Collins bowled Dave Herbert, also for three, leaving the hosts on 76-4.

Five runs after Herbert perished Ross Stewart was caught by Daniel Cook off Ross Tooley.

No-one in the Martinstown line up was able to support Nichols until Matt Camp hit 25 off 23 balls in a sixth-wicket stand worth 48.

Following his dismissal for 25, Nichols and Tom Nicholls got the home side to 150 until the captain’s afternoon with the bat was finally ended by James Brown – Nichols struck 13 fours in his innings.

Nicholls (34) and the rest of the tail did add 56 more before the last wicket fell in the 48th over.

In reply, Broadstone suffered an early setback when opener Pete Russell was caught by Herbert off Chris Read for only two.

Matt Camp claimed the wicket of Connor Tarr with the score on 43 but Brown and Luke Carter then took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Eight boundaries and a maximum featured in Brown’s 73-ball knock of 62, while Carter hit 52 in 69 deliveries as the two put on 73.

Both had perished by the time the visitors reached 150, and soon after they got to that mark Ryan Chase dismissed Matthew Swindlehurst for one.

Read then trapped Tooley leg before to leave Broadstone on 162-6, however, just when it looked like Nichols’ troops could snatch victory, Cook (39 not out) and Collins (19 not out) steered their opponents home.

In Division Five, Martinstown Seconds lost to leaders Puddletown by 108 runs.