BERE REGIS 92ao (1pt) lost to DORCHESTER 94-2 (19pts) by eight wickets

A SPELL of taking four wickets for no runs helped Dorchester take the derby spoils in an eight-wicket victory at Bere Regis in the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League.

The result sees Dorchester stay at the top of the table, taking advantage of Poole Town’s loss at Broadstone, while Bere now sit sixth.

Dorchester took consistent late wickets as Bere pushed on in vain to 92 all out, before the partnership of Eral Anderson and Simon Mitchem saw the visitors over the line after a tough start to their turn at the crease.

Dorchester opted to field after an uncontested toss, which paid dividends early on.

Nick White (0) was bowled by Dan Belt (2-24)with Bere having posted just one run.

Matt King (8) and Robert Murphy (12) pushed Bere on to 32-1 before disaster struck.

Murphy was the first of the four to go without a run being added, when he was run out.

Dean Rogerson (0) was then bowled by Belt, before King was trapped lbw by Dorchester captain James Dunham (2-10).

Richard Payne (0) was then run out, yet the punishment for Bere was not over.

With just two further runs added, Rob Cole (0) was caught by Jack Walklett off a Dunham delivery as Dorchester blitzed the Bere top order.

The home side managed to recover somewhat at this point, with captain Rich Cole (13) and Tim Goodhew regaining composure by pushing the score up to 56-6.

Yet the consistency of the visitors’ bowling then punished the home side again, with their captain Cole dismissed as Dunham caught from a Josh Richardson delivery.

Tim Goodhew was a late standout performance from the home side, producing a rallying 35 not out to bolster the score.

Yet wickets fell at a consistent rate, as the home side were dismissed for 92 all out.

It was initially hard going for the visitors with the bat, as Nick Roe (0) was trapped lbw early on by Sean Walbridge (1-15) with just five runs on the board for the visitors.

Dorchester were finding runs hard to come by, with Bere doing well to restrict them.

Yet when they did strike, it was all too often a boundary that steadily broke down the Bere bowling.

With 20 runs on the board Jim Ryall (7) was caught by Rich Cole from a King (1-23) delivery, yet the match turned soon after.

Bere had numerous calls for lbw and the increased ferocity of the appeals, particularly not long after the second wicket went, hinted at what was coming.

The partnership of Simon Mitchem (42) and Eral Anderson (41) only became more effective and confident as the innings drove towards the now seemingly inevitable conclusion.

Yet another boundary did the job, as Dorchester claimed a superb 19-point victory.

After the match Dorchester’s Dunham said he thought the early spell of wickets was the turning point, but emphasised the all-round game from his team.

Dunham told Echosport: “I think the turning point was they were 32-1 and going to 32-5, we took consistent wickets throughout and took some run out chances as well.

“We were always on top in the field and always looked like getting wickets so a good all-round performance from all of the boys.

“It wasn’t just the wickets falling, we kept on top of the run rate, we starved them of striking, (had) good field placements, really good all-round bowling, a lot of consistent wickets and a score that we always felt comfortable chasing.”

Discussing the batting, Dunham added: “Looking at our side, chasing 92 I never had any doubt to be honest. We looked good, we took our time, we took 30 overs to get it but yet again the boys looked good.

“Eral and Simon batted very well, played some very nice shots but just getting into form for another big game next weekend.”

Bere skipper Rich Cole said: “The second innings I felt like we bowled really well, put balls in the right areas, put them under the right pressure. I was disappointed not to get a couple of decisions, we worked really hard and just did not get the rewards that I felt we deserved.”

Elaborating on those decisions, Cole said: “There were a couple of close ones, there is no doubt about it.

“We were just on the wrong end of it at the end of the day, so you kind of have to just take those decisions, there is nothing much we can do about it now, and look forward to next week.”

Dorchester next host Poole, while Bere travel to Shroton.