ST GEORGE'S 240-6 (20pts) beat MARNHULL 162 all-out (7pts) by 78 runs

ST GEORGE'S made an excellent start to their Dorset Sunday Division Two season, recording a 78-run victory over newly promoted Marnhull at Dorchester Rec.

The Saints opted to bat first but initially struggled against the new ball, losing their first two wickets with the total on 14 and struggling to score at more than two an over.

Number four batsmen Tom Cottrell broke the shackles with some fine drives through the offside, then he and opener Colin Gough took advantage off some indifferent change bowling to compile a century stand for the third wicket.

Both men found the boundary on numerous occasions and brought up their individual 50 in consecutive overs.

Cottrell went on to hit four boundaries in an over to overtake his partner before holing out on the long off boundary for a well made 67.

Garry King then made a quickfire 25 as a further 51 runs were added for the fourth wicket.

Gough dominated the scoring in the closing overs with some powerful strokes, mainly through the leg side, and brought up his century in the penultimate over before the innings closed on 240-6.

The Marnhull openers began their reply in aggressive fashion but were pegged back by a wicket each for Rob Cole and Simon Godding.

The visitors then produced a promising third-wicket stand of their own with Stuart Sweatman particularly impressive. He was quick to punish any loose delivery and scored 76 out of a total of 111.

It took a good catch by Malcolm Slade off his own bowling to bring about Sweatman's dismissal and the left arm swing bowler then took three more wickets in an inspired spell to rip through the middle order.

The county town side also produced an encouraging fielding performance on a difficult outfield which was highlighted by Matt King's recovery from a slight misfield to run out Billington from the deep as he attempted a second run.

King then ran through the tail, taking three wickets in two overs to as St George's finished off the match in clinical fashion to record the maximum 20 points.

REC SCOREBOARD

St George's

Gough not out 103

Guppy c Mackay b Dawe 6

Prior c Collins b Dawe 0

Cottrell c Si Sweatman b Mackay 67

G King c Hasted b Stu Sweatman 25

Cole c Thomson b Si Sweatman 4

Keegan run out 1

James not out 4

Extras 30

Total (6 wkts, 45 overs) 240

Bowling: Si Sweatman 12-2-39-1, Dawe 12-2-31-2, Lewis 6-0-34-0, Colllins 4-0-31-0, Thomson 3-0-30-0, Mackay 2-0-10-1, Stu Sweatman 6-0-49-1

Marnhull

Lewis c Keegan b Cole 11

Stu Sweatman c&b Slade 76

Mackay b Godding 4

Hasted b Slade 29

Dawe c Keegan b Slade 4

Si Sweatman c Guppy b Slade 2

Billington run out 4

Thomson not out 14

Mugridge st Keegan b M King 2

Collins lbw b M King 0

Young c Keegan b M King 0

Extras 16

Total (all out, 40 overs) 162

Bowling: Cole 7-1-28-1, Godding 9-1-37-1, James 12-2-39-0, Slade 10-0-42-4 M King 2-0-7-3