WITH the Doug Read Cup safely tucked away in their trophy cabinet, Bere Regis have gone some way towards cementing their place in Division One.

A high-scoring game against Cattistock saw Bere top the 200-mark with poor Billy Waldridge conceding 61 from his four overs, though he did have the consolation of a wicket.

Martin Langford, with 94, got Cattistock close, but Bere won by 13 runs.

Bere also became the first to deny St George’s full points in an exciting tie.

DIVISION ONE

P W T L Pts

St George’s 6 5 1 0 11

Puddletown 5 5 0 0 10

Cattistock 7 4 0 3 6

Dewlish 6 1 0 5 2

Martinstown 6 1 0 5 2

Bere Regis 7 2 1 4 5

(Cattistock deducted two points for conceding a game)

DIVISION TWO

P W L Pts

Plush 9 7 2 14

Hazelbury Bryan 11 7 4 14

Charlton Down 7 5 2 10

Cattistock II 10 4 6 8

Abbotsbury 6 3 3 6

Cerne Valley 6 3 3 6

Frampton 9 0 9 -4

(Frampton deducted four points for conceding games)

DIVISION THREE

Cosmos 9 7 2 14

Puddletown RFC 9 6 3 12

Charlton Down II 11 6 5 12

Dorchester Casuals 7 5 2 10

Winfrith Newburgh 5 2 3 4

Puddletown II 9 2 7 4

Semi-Conductor Materials 8 1 7 2

Sean Walbridge helped restrict Bere to 96, but their bowlers Pete Russell (2-7) and Dean Rogerson (3-15) seemed to be in control until Garry King’s 40 brought the scores level with King run out off the last ball.

This leaves Puddletown with the only 100 per cent record in the top division, with victories over Martinstown, Bere Regis and Cattistock (who conceded).

The title may well be decided on Wednesday, July 26 at Dorchester Rec when the Saints face Puddletown.

At the other end of the table, Martinstown broke their duck with a good win over Dewlish, thanks largely to Ed Nicholls with 3-29 and 66 runs in his side’s seven-wicket victory.

In Division Two, Plush continued to push for the top spot with fairly comfortable wins over Charlton Down and Frampton.

Against Charlton Down, Pearce Mercer scored 54 not out and took a wicket for only eight runs in his four overs, but his score of 55 not out was not enough in his side’s defeat to Cerne Valley, with Lucy Spooner’s 2-18 helping to leave Plush nine runs short.

Hazelbury Bryan were the victims of big scoring earlier in the season.

This time it was their turn, with C Haynes hitting a massive unbeaten 168 in their 153-run win over Frampton.

They also defeated Cattistock Seconds by 23 runs, despite 86 from Tim Heap.

Cattistock were rather more successful in a 10-wicket drubbing of Abbotsbury.

Charlton Down’s second team stumbled in their quest for Division Three honours, going down to both Cosmos and Casuals.

The game between these latter two was a real thriller, Duncan Macbean’s 60 not out leading to a last-ball win for Cosmos.

Puddletown Rugby Club kept up their challenge with a clear win over ASM who never recovered from A Church’s three wickets for four runs as the Rugby Club triumphed by more than 150 runs.

They also beat Puddletown Seconds, but this time by the skin of their teeth – just two runs.