MARTINSTOWN 121 (4pts) lost to BERE REGIS 198-6 (19pts) by 77 runs

BERE Regis gained revenge over Martinstown with victory in an ill-tempered Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League clash at Lower Ashton Farm.

Bere were rolled out for 99 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season and, with Martinstown challenging for the title, emotions ran high in the return game.

Echosport understands the umpires walked off at one stage of the match due to verbal back and forth on the pitch.

There was also an alleged trading of hostilities between two opposition players.

At the wicket, play was of a high standard between two of the league’s best sides this season.

Sam Kershaw’s Martinstown were in second prior to the clash, while Bere have shown significant improvement this season with wins over heavyweights Dorchester and Broadstone.

Kershaw won the toss and elected to field first with conditions damp and the threat of rain always looming.

READ MORE: Bere Regis skittled for 81 by title-chasing Poole

Paceman Jamie Stewart (1-29) was rewarded for a hostile spell with the wicket of opener Matt King (9) and the accuracy of David Trotter (1-32) accounted for Rich Payne (11).

At 48-2, Bere duo Sam Goodhew (41) and Cameron Robertson (32) both produced solid knocks.

They were backed up by Tim Goodhew (22) and a fine 44 from Rob Murphy, comprised of two fours and a brace of maximums.

Bere’s progress was checked by Fraser Hill (2-52) and Charlie Durant (2-32) – the latter the pick of the away attack.

Rich Cole also weighed in with 18 not out as Bere posted 198-6 from 45 overs.

Martinstown’s reply was rocked by left-arm seamer Murphy, who accounted for the top three batsmen in rapid time.

Murphy (3-46) struck to remove Steve Gerety (15), Will Maltby (1) and Jamie Stewart (9) as Town stumbled to 30-3.

Their innings was revived by Sean Williams (35) and Tom Pope (33), who cracked nine boundaries between them in a stand of 58.

However, the introduction of spin changed the game as Sam Goodhew extracted prodigious turn from the wicket, pinning Pope lbw.

Goodhew joined forces with the classy Sean Walbridge (3-27) to polish off the Town batting line-up, Williams the penultimate wicket as the hosts slipped from 88-3 to 121 all out.

Goodhew eventually finished with 4-29 from his nine overs, with Payne (0-15) unlucky to be the only wicketless Bere bowler.

Speaking to Echosport, Bere captain Brian Keegan said: “From Sam downward they all contributed.

“Rich and Matt opened up and ate up a few balls – it wasn’t the easiest of wickets, it was moving around a fair bit.

“We stuck at it, set a platform and tried to go again. To be fair to Martinstown, they bowled well.

“When it came to their reply Sean Williams held their innings together and Tom Pope tried to up the scoring a little bit.

“From out point of view, Rob bowled really well early doors and Rich bowled without any luck whatsoever.

“Sam and Sean (Walbridge) between them went for 7-56. Essentially, what we saw when Charlie Durant was bowling, we could see there was turn and grip.

“We wanted to get the spinners on as soon as we could. Sam and Sean came on and strangled it, kept taking wickets and that got us through.”

Opposing skipper Kershaw said: “It was just a day to be on the wrong end of the 50/50s.

“It was another day where four or five times you’d move a fielder, then the ball goes exactly where the fielder was.

“Ultimately, they played well. I thought we were always in the game. A score of 198 is always chaseable at our place.

“We got off to a sticky start, rebuilt through the middle and just kept losing wickets. They just squeezed us out of it.”

He added: “We’ll be disappointed with some of the wickets we lost but we never felt we were behind the game.

“Losing wickets at regular times always knocks you back.”

Elsewhere, Martinstown Seconds beat Wareham by 61 runs in County Division Three, while team of the month for June, Bere Regis Seconds, beat Witchampton Seconds by 66 runs.