MARTINSTOWN 215 (19pts) beat SHERBORNE 129 (6pts) by 86 runs

MARTINSTOWN made it back-to-back Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League wins after beating Sherborne by 86 runs at Lower Ashton Farm.

Having won the toss and with a surface renowned for its friendliness to batting awaiting them, Martinstown elected to bat first and immediately compiled a half-century stand.

That was until Lee House (18) was bowled by David Barnstable (1-25), while Sean Williams was castled by Mike Hancock (2-43) for a golden duck to leave the hosts on 51-2.

Captain Ed Nichols (27) soon succumbed to Hancock for 74-3 but it was the calm batting of teenager Will Maltby (49) who set the innings up with help from Sam Kershaw (23).

Jamie Stewart (29) and Chris Read (15) also chipped in with important runs, while the hosts were gifted 33 extras by bottom side Sherborne, who were set a victory target of 216 with all bowlers having shared the wickets around.

In reply, Martinstown piled into the visitors’ line-up as Read (4-29) produced a remarkable spell, bowling with pace and accuracy on a length with which the Sherborne batsmen could not live.

He accounted for Ryan Monk (0) first ball, Richard Carter (11) and Roger Parfitt (5), while young Nathan McNab (3-37) also weighed in with the crucial middle order wickets of Emlyn Kuhn (5), Marc Tanswell (9) and Tim Durston (6).

Read continued to bowl through his 10 overs and dismissed Tom Harris (20) as Sherborne crumbled to 77-7. Late hitting from Barnstable (37) proved in vain as the away side fell well short of their target.

Speaking to Echosport after the game, Nichols admitted that Read and McNab had been “outstanding”.

He said: “We got into them really early and Chris hit the deck really hard. That early blow was great for us, we got some of their big hitters early on.

“Chris and Nathan were outstanding – it was bowling in good places with the ball on a good wicket.

“They really hit good lengths and found good bounce off the deck. We had more ideas with the ball.

“I’m really pleased with how they did the damage up front.”

But Nichols felt a bigger score may have been in reach for his charges.

“A number of batters are looking in good nick, and I’m pleased with Will again. It’s just converting into big scores – it could’ve been a 270 game,” he said.

n Martinstown Seconds 268-4 (20pts) beat Blandford Seconds 124 (4pts) by 144 runs

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