DORCHESTER 255-7 (25pts) beat Marnhull 108 all out (4pts) by 147 runs

DORCHESTER'S unbeaten run continues following a comprehensive win at Marnhull.

The county town side won by 140 runs as they strolled to victory in their Dorset Funeral Plan League Division One match.

The win puts them one step closer to promotion to the Premier League.

Captain Mark Derrien believes his side are close to making the step up.

"It was a really straightforward victory, very one-sided. It shows that we are now ready for the Premier League and keeps our 100 per cent record going."

The win was that comfortable that Dorchester's opening partnership was higher than Marnhull's total run count.

Peter Moxom and Martin Langford made a partnership of 120, Moxom hitting 68 to record his fifth half-century of the season.

Left-hander Langford, who chalked up a solid 58, made only his second appearance as an opener but Derrien feels the decision to select him was very much justified.

He said: "Martin has been impressing us in the nets. So I decided to give him his chance, and he proved that it was the right decision to make.

"He's a young guy who's showing great potential."

Matt Chalmers, who was to be dropped for the match, was recalled after an injury to Rob Waite.

The stand-in grabbed his chance with both hands as he hit a couple of massive sixes on his way to 25 before being run out.

The only two batsmen who failed to reach double figures for the visitors were Phil Morley and Charlie Sutton who were still at the wickets when the 45 overs were up.

Marnhull were bowled out easily for 105, Quenton Miller (4-45) took four of their wickets and Derrien was delighted for him. "I'm really glad Quenton picked up some wickets, he's deserved it, luck has certainly deserted him in some games, so it was great to see him bowl well."

Other wicket-takers for Dorchester were Morley, who dismissed Marnhull's Foster and Green, Sutton who sent both Simon Sweatman and Dave Humphreys for ducks, and vice-captain Martyn Richards who removed Ralph following Sibley's catch.

The home side, who have won three games all season, couldn't weather the Dorchester storm and were never likely to make inroads on the table-toppers' target of 255, particularly as their opening pair made just 15 between them.

The only batsman who made any impression on the scoreboard was Barry Lewis (43 not out), but with only two of his team-mates scoring higher than 10, Foster (11) and Andy Booth (12), Lewis' effort was in vein.

The Rec outfit have now won nine out of nine games this season and look set to rub shoulders with Dorset's finest next season after another confident display.

RECREATION GROUND SCOREBOARD

DORCHESTER

Langford lbw Lewis 58

Moxom b Sweatman 68

Gerety b Sweatman 11

Miller run out 11

Richards st Ralph 22

Sibley b Booth 27

Chalmers run out 25

Morley not out 3

Sutton not out 2

Extras 31

Total (7wkts, 45overs) 258

FoW: 1-117, 2-148, 3-148, 4-182, 5-199, 6-252, 7-252.

Bowling: Ralph 10-1-56-1, Hunphreys 10-2-44-0, Ball 2-0-20-2, Booth 10-1-63-1, Sweatman 10-1-54-2, Lewis 3-1-12-1.

MARNHULL

E. Lewis b Miller 4

Foster lbw Morley 11

Ball b Miller 5

B Lewis not out 43

Green c Langford b Morley 0

Booth b Miller 12

Rushton b Morley 0

Horn c&b Miller 3

Sweatman c Ames b Sutton 0

Ralph c Sibley b Richards 1

Humphreys b Sutton 0

Extras 29

Total (all out, 25overs) 108

FoW: 1-16, 2-28, 3-33, 4-35, 5-65, 6-67, 7-96, 8-99, 9-104, 10-108.

Bowling: Morley 8-0-45-3, Miller 10-1-45-4, Sutton 5-0-11-2, Richards 2-0-4-1.