SEAN Walbridge rolled back the years by taking a staggering double hat-trick as St George’s steamrollered past Charlton Down to become the first team through to the semi-finals of the Doug Read Cup.

The Saints were not on such good form in the league, however, as their 100 per cent record went down to Puddletown. Matt King’s 43 helped Saints to 124-5 despite 3-24 from Jamie Barrett and they then had Puddletown struggling at 81-6.

But Ryan Norman (23no) and Adam Weir (22no) timed their stand to perfection to win from the last ball.

Elsewhere, Bere Regis pulled off a good win over Plush, David Griffiths’ 63 not out enabling them to overcome Plush’s 119-7 with eight wickets to spare.

Division Two saw Dewlish comfortably beat Cosmos, with tight bowling by Simon Ross (1-14 in his three overs, Justin Miller 1-9 in three and Quenton Miller 1-1 in two) restricting Cosmos to 102. Miller’s unbeaten 53 then saw Dewlish home by eight wickets.

For Cerne Valley, Ed Galia’s 57 not out set a challenging target of 131-4 which Cattistock Seconds were entirely unable to match despite Bradley Mullin’s 46 as John Stiles with 3-16 and Russ Hurford with an amazing 5-5 left them 35 runs short. In any other week, Hurford’s bowling would surely have been the headline performance, but Walbridge eclipsed him.

Abbotsbury subsided to two defeats, first by Cosmos, for whom John Wilson (51no), Sam Tomkins (3-14) and Sam Greening (2-4) guided Cosmos to a 41-run victory and then at Hazelbury Bryan for whom Alfie Fitzgerald top scored with 51 not out in a 10-wicket win over the short-staffed Swans.

In Division Three, Dorchester Casuals continued their winning ways with an easy eight-wicket win over the club’s Colts, who despite Dylan Ellis’s late 27, were unable to cope with the bowling of Rohan Scott (2-9) and Josh Foot (2-3), leaving Casuals to win by eight wickets.

Frampton again beat Charlton Down Seconds, this time Phil Horne with 71 not out and Chas Duerdoth’s late 21 allowing them to post 154-7, despite Amjad Gill’s three wickets.

Very tight bowling from Duerdoth (1-9), Ben Buckland (1-12 in four overs) and Dean Smy (1-14 in three) left Frampton clear victors by 55 runs.

The results mean that Bere Regis hold a two-point lead over St George’s at the top of Division One.

In Division Two, Dewlish sit at the summit on eight points, while Dorchester Casuals lead the Division Three standings.

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