DORCHESTER will be looking to extend their unbeaten run as they host local rivals Beaminster in their Dorset Funeral Plan Division One match tomorrow (2pm), but they will have to do it without their captain.

Mark Derrien will pass on the skipper's role to Martyn Richards, but the absent captain is confident his deputy will carry on the winning streak.

He said: "Martyn has been a very good vice-captain and he's done very well with the bat too, averaging 70 so far this campaign.

"He is taking the captain's role very seriously and I'm sure he'll make the right choices and selections that will keep our winning run going."

Steve Gerety will be available again after he was set to miss out on last week's game that was postponed. But with Beaminster missing their last two fixtures due to rain Derrien is hoping the county town can capitalise.

"The fact that Beaminster haven't played for three weeks could work to our advantage. Hopefully they'll be a bit rustier than us.

"We always have a close game with them so I expect this one to be just as tough. However, I'm optimistic we will get the win after beating them earlier this season."

Derrien will be missing his first match of the campaign, to complete his Level 3 football refereeing badge, a season which sees the Rec side just 12 points clear at the top despite winning seven games, the only one they didn't win was a no result against Marnhull.

Derrien though, says his side won't be getting complacent.

"Given that we haven't lost a game all season we were hoping to be further ahead, but credit to Stalbridge they're a good side.

"Everyone remains on their heels and we know we can't afford any slip ups because Stalbridge are right behind us."

Meanwhile, Beaminster skipper Richard Bugler is eager to see improvement in the second half of the summer.

At midway stage of the season the Memorial Ground troops are sitting fourth from bottom.

With just two half centuries in seven completed fixtures they have under-performed, especially with the bat. The future looked extremely bleak when the club opened the campaign with four consecutive defeats.

But since then three wins and two rained off games have seen the West Dorset outfit rise clear of the relegation zone and into mid-table.

Bugler said: "I suppose it has been a season of two halves so far - without wishing to use clichés.

"After the first four games it was very disappointing but having said that two of those games we should have won against the two better sides. Then obviously in the last three things have been clicking, especially on the bowling front.

"So could do better would be the conclusion of the first half of the season. Not on the bowling side but definitely on the batting side."

Ian Hutchings heads the batting rankings after rescuing Beaminster from collapse on more than one occasion.

Only three players have scored more than 100 runs. Grant Vink has scored the most runs for the club but his tally of 157 is still a meagre return on six innings.

The Western Australian has however starred with the ball. His left arm spin has bagged him 14 wickets at a cost of just 9.36 and an economy rate of 2.37.

"Often batting gets easier as the season goes on," said the skipper.

"I can't imagine that at the moment with the weather we are having but the wickets need to harden up a bit and that will make batting a bit easier.

Dorchester: Langford, Moxom, Ames, Sibley, Richards, Gerety, Waite, Sutton, Miller, Chalmers, Morley. Scorer: Graham Belt Beaminster (from): Bugler, Vink, Freke, Park, Jones, Runyard, Hawkins, Hutchings, Baker, Wyatt, Etherington, Davies, Hillier, Hansford