DORCHESTER 158 (17pts) beat WIMBORNE & COLEHILL 119 (6pts) by 39 runs

DORCHESTER club captain Simon Mitchem was the star of the show as his side completed the double over reigning champions Wimborne & Colehill at the Rec in the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League.

Mitchem scored 55 in the first innings and returned superb bowling figures of 6-18 as Dorchester wrapped up a 39-run win.

Having won the toss, Dorchester elected to bat first but they were quickly in peril when Ed Bartlett (3-24) dismissed Will McKay (0), Jack Owens (3) and Dan Belt (4).

He was assisted by fellow opening bowler Harrison Bowles (2-34) as Dorchester stuttered to 23-4.

But Mitchem steadily rebuilt the innings, finding an ally in Ben Macklin (25), with the duo putting on 94 for the fifth wicket until

Ollie Woodruff (2-16) had Mitchem caught.

Mitchem was one of three wickets to fall for five runs as Dorchester were reduced to 122-7, but the hosts battled hard to score 158 as the lower order chipped in with small contributions.

Wimborne made a good start in their reply as Colin Randall (16) and George Bartlett (11) steered them to 39-0.

That was until Mitchem’s introduction to the attack saw them lose seven wickets for 29 runs, including one for James Dunham (1-19), as they crumbled to 68-7.

Jack Owens (2-18) and George Foot (1-20) were then able to remove the tail and dismiss the visitors for 119 after a late cameo from Bartlett (23).

Speaking to Echosport after the game, a relieved Mitchem was pleased to return to “winning ways”.

He said: “After last week’s result it was good to get back to winning ways. But if I’m brutally honest I think our batting was arrogant and naïve at best.

“There were too many bad shots and too many taking it for granted. You’ve got to get your head down and work hard, you’re not going to get any freebies. It was a bit disappointing to be bowled out for 158, we should be looking at 220.

“We bowled and fielded really well though, back to our normal standards.”

On his personal performance Mitchem admitted it was “nice to contribute” to the victory.

“It was nice to score some runs and take some wickets. It wasn’t the most pretty 55 I’ve ever scored but someone needed to stick out there and do it.

“I don’t normally takes fifers these days but it was nice to contribute. It was a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde performance but it’s nice to bounce back with a win,” he said.