WEYMOUTH 102-1 (20pts) beat CHARLTON DOWN 100 (1pt) by nine wickets

LEADERS Weymouth took their second victory of the season as a depleted Charlton Down’s rude awakening to life in County Division Two continued with a crushing nine-wicket loss at Redlands.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Charlton Down, missing the likes of Matt Stevens and Sam Roles, lost key man Jae Miller (6) to left-arm seamer Lloyd Beals (1-22) early-on as the visitors reached 13-1.

Jack Eveleigh (24) offered some resistance but the miserly Graham Puckett (2-15) snared Roger Frapwell (4) and Dan Stevens (2), before a stunning spell from Sami Rathnayake (2-8) began with catching Eveleigh off his own bowling as Down struggled to 62-4.

Rathnayake also removed James Pretty (6) before Javed Gill (24) offered some resistance to a rampant Weymouth attack.

But from there, the Seasiders’ spinners took over and Down had no answer to captain Harry Mitchell (2-20) and Shafeek Urumamcheri (3-8), who mopped up the final five wickets for 27 runs.

In reply, Weymouth made a steady start before accelerating with ease towards their target of 101, John Wilson (44no) striking eight fours in a fluent innings.

Fellow opener Paul Collins (31) was trapped lbw by Kim Park (1-37) to leave Weymouth on 68-1, but Dom Webb (17no) joined Wilson at the crease and smacked a six and a four in his 11-ball innings as Weymouth cruised to a nine-wicket success.

Speaking to Echosport after the game, Mitchell felt his bowlers were “on fire” throughout.

He said: “That was the best we’ve bowled in years and the fielding itself was really good, the catches we caught well.

“It was building pressure and we stayed on it. All the bowlers were on fire and Sami was unplayable. I haven’t seen him bowl that well, he was a joy to watch with the accuracy and pace he was bowling at. He was a league above the rest of us.

“The batters started off slow and then all of a sudden started hitting boundaries. It was a really good all-round performance.”

Visiting captain Tommy Tucker, said: “After electing to bat it proved the wrong decision and the long and damp Redlands outfield made run-scoring difficult unless by the aerial route.

“Collins and Wilson batted well, Wilson using the aerial route effectively, but a few missed catches and half chances were not held and Weymouth were well deserved victors.”

n Weymouth Seconds lost by 125 runs to Bere Regis Seconds in County Division Five.