WEYMOUTH 197 (8pts) lost to BROADSTONE 201-8 (20pts) by 2 wickets

WEYMOUTH came agonisingly close to breaking their duck in the Dorset Premier League this season after pushing Broadstone all the way at the Delph.

Having posted a total of 197 all out – helped by a score of 63 from skipper Kieron Womble – after deciding to bat first, the Seasiders had their hosts 165-8 in reply, needing only two wickets to triumph with more than 30 runs in the bank.

But in a tense finale, it was Broadstone who came out on top to get home and avoid a big upset, with Ross Tooley finishing unbeaten on 39.

Laurie Whyte was the pick of the attack for the visitors, claiming 3-37 from his 10 overs, and he was aided by opening bowler David Trotter, who produced a miserly 10-over spell of 2-27.

Earlier in the day, Whyte was on hand to boost his side’s total with the bat coming in at number eight.

His score of 32 included three fours and two sixes.

Openers Dean Janaway (21) and Andy Jarvis (25) also got starts at the top of the order.

And while his side were narrowly edged out and in turn recorded their 13th straight loss of the campaign, captain Womble could not have asked much more of his troops.

He told Echosport: “Everyone did really well and it was painful to get so close.

“We hadn’t been in that situation for a long time.

“But, like I said before the game, if we didn’t win I was quite happy just to put in a decent performance, which I felt we did.

"We ran them close but they just deserved it.

“I think we took wickets well up front and Ryan Sers bowled really well too.

“One of the big positives we can take is that we stuck at it with the bat. We got to a score that was just not enough to win the game but we got to a competitive total and the bowling was very good.”

And although he starred with the bat in this clash, Womble, who also kept wicket in the game for the away side, looks likely to miss out against Parley at Redlands next weekend as he continues to struggle with a back problem.

The result means that Weymouth lie 76 points adrift of Dorchester at the bottom of the table, while Broadstone’s maximum haul puts them second, nine points behind league leaders Sherborne.