CHARLTON DOWN 126-1 (20pts) beat BEAMINSTER 123 (1pt) by nine wickets

A FIVE-wicket haul for Mark Homewood and an unbeaten 71 from Jae Miller enabled Charlton Down to pick up their first win of the season against Beaminster in County Division Two.

The visitors won the toss and captain Ross Baker led from the front producing 82 with some drives, cuts and pull shots.

Nick David (18) was the only other player to make double figures for Beaminster and was there to support the impressive Baker.

The Charlton Down bowling and fielding was back to its very best and it was Matt Stevens (1-19) who claimed the first wicket producing a lovely yorker to remove Chris Park for two with the score on 6-1.

David and Baker batted sensibly against the miserly bowling of Stevens and James Pretty (0-17) who only conceded 23 runs from the first 12 overs. However, with the introduction of Homewood (5-17) and Javed Gill (2-36) Beaminster slumped from 49-1 to 65-6.

The returning Mark Spurway (1-12) and Nick Voss (1-17) both picked up a wicket but it was Homewood who took the last wicket and complete his five-wicket haul and bowl out Beaminster for 123.

Down’s openers Jack Eveleigh and Miller pounced on any short or full length bowling while Will Moss bowled well. Miller returned to form with six boundaries in his first 10 balls faced, the best being a delightful cover drive.

Eveleigh and Miller added 56 before the former was bowled by Baker for 13.

Miller was then joined by Voss and they both found the boundaries at regular intervals and their unbeaten 70-run partnership was enough to see Charlton to victory in the 28th over.