MARTINSTOWN 98ao (2pts) lost to BERE REGIS 100-4 (19pts) by six wickets

BERE Regis claimed a huge six-wicket win over Martinstown in the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League.

Bere won the toss and elected to field, a decision which paid off handsomely as they slowly whittled the Martinstown order away.

Martinstown were stoic, lasting 44.2 overs, but struggled to put runs on the board, while Bere could be encouraged when batting, knowing they needed just two runs an over for victory.

Martinstown began well, with their first wicket falling when Ed Nichols (15) was caught by Brian Keegan off a Crispin Brown delivery with 29 runs on the board.

Sean Williams (15) was the next to go, when the score had been boosted to a healthy 52-1.

Yet the middle order then crumbled, with Bere reducing Martinstown to 63-6.

Fraser Hill (5), Will Maltby (3), Matt Camp (0) and captain Sam Kershaw (9) were all swiftly dismissed as Bere took a strong hold on the match.

Jamie Stewart managed to put a solid 12 runs on the board before being dismissed with the score at 78-7.

Phil Turner (14) also helped add further runs before perishing with the score at 90-9.

Martinstown were soon bowled out with 98 runs on the board, Richard Payne claiming a superb 5-25, leaving Bere with a low target of 99.

It was not immediately straight forward for Bere, with opener Payne (9) unable to get into double digits when he was caught by Sam Kershaw off a Matt Camp (1-25) delivery with the score at 24-1.

Yet Bere pushed on well from that point, reaching 69-1 before other opener Matt King (28) was caught by Will Maltby off Charlie Durant (2-16).

Dean Rogerson (17) was caught by Fraser Hill off a Turner delivery with the score at 83-2.

It looked like there was a bit of a stumble for Bere, when Jacob Lambert (1) was trapped lbw by Durant, before Tim Goodhew (15) and David Griffiths saw Bere over the line.

Bere captain Rich Cole was very happy with how his side applied themselves throughout the contest.

He said: “I would say over the moon about how well we performed.

“I was super pleased with how well we applied ourselves.

“We were very disciplined and we were really patient, we kept our focus and Martinstown with Ed (Nichols) up front were looking like they were setting a good foundation for the rest of the game.

“Our openers bowled their lines that they needed to and we got the just rewards of getting Ed out caught behind, and from then on we sort of never looked back.

“The momentum just constantly swung in our favour throughout the entire game from that point onwards.”

Discussing Martinstown, Cole added he thought none of their batsmen applied themselves.

He said: “None of the Martinstown batsmen really applied themselves and set themselves in, I know they batted for 44, 45 overs.

“We never felt threatened when bowling or fielding, it was a very pleasant position to be in.

“When it came to batting Matt (King) and Rich (Payne) applied themselves really well, we sort of kept them quiet, never let them feel like they were getting on top at any stage.”

Martinstown captain Kershaw said it had not been a “good day at the office”.

He added: “We let ourselves down massively, with the bat anyway. The middle order did not come through, people getting out quickly. They did not bowl well, we just got ourselves out.

“No one really applied themselves, with the ability we have got with the bat on that pitch we should really be looking at 250 minimum.

“To be bowled out for 98 in your first home game of the season is not a good starting block.”

Kershaw did not think there was a particular reason for the performance, and praised how his side started.

He said: “I don’t think there is a particular reason, we started well, I think we were 50-1, we had a solid base we just did not kick on, lost too many wickets in quick succession in the middle.

“We did not really ever get going past the base, we asked the opening batsmen to set a base, which they did – we just could not kick on.

“They know their bowlers, they know what fielders to set, they just applied the pressure and turned the screw and we keeled over and took it.”

Martinstown travel to Shroton on Saturday, while Bere Regis host Christchurch.

Elsewhere, Martinstown Seconds beat Swanage Seconds by six runs in County Division Four, while Bere Regis Seconds beat Portland Red Triangle Seconds by 46 runs in County Division Five.

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