STALBRIDGE II 164 (5pts) lost to BEAMINSTER 166-4 (20pts) by six wickets

BEAMINSTER moved to third in the table after a comfortable six-wicket victory at Stalbridge Seconds in County Division Two.

The result leaves Beaminster 15 points behind league leaders Wimborne & Colehill II.

The home team made a positive start after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Beaminster’s opening bowlers were guilty of bowling too short on a slow surface as N Ford (81) dispatched loose deliveries and played aggressively before change bowlers Ross Baker (2-35) and Dave Persey (3-28) were rewarded for bowling full and straight.

After the opening partnership was broken, wickets fell regularly.

Beaminster’s fielding was sharp with seven catches.

The away team were delighted to take the final wicket in the last over as the innings closed on 164.

Beaminster’s reply started well with another half-century opening stand between Chris Park (38) and Ross Baker (11).

However, both fell caught and bowled in a three-over spell. Rich Runyard (39no) then played determinedly with Lewis Keenan (29no) to guide the away team to victory.

Runyard finished the game in style with a huge maximum as Beaminster reached their target in the 37th over.

Beaminster captain Ross Baker, said: “It was definitely an important win, it was a potential banana skin so we are relieved to get that victory. After a bit of a slow start from us we played pretty well.

“Conditions were not great, it was a cold and windy day and the pitch was very slow and it was just important we did our job properly to get over the line.

“It was a decent performance in the end.”

Speaking about how they chased Stalbridge down, Baker said: “Pretty well, we were quite confident that we would chase that total. It was not a big total from them, there were quite small boundaries.

“We were quite confident and batting wise we spoke and said at the interval, ‘look we need to keep our wickets in hand, play off the new ball and try and push on from there’.

“If we kept wickets in hand we should comfortably chase it which we did, which was really encouraging to see Rich and Lewis take responsibility and score the winning runs.”

Beaminster are next in County Division Two action on Saturday (1.30pm) away to second-placed Witchampton, who lie 10 points above Baker’s side.

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