MARTINSTOWN 215-7 (8pts) lost to DORCHESTER 217-8 (18pts) by two wickets

DORCHESTER kept their run at the top of the table going with a well-fought two-wicket win over Martinstown in a thrilling Dorset Funeral Plan Premier Division contest.

Fraser Hill hit a superb late 57 runs for the home side at Lower Ashton Farm, while Jack Owens also claimed a half-century for the visitors.

Martinstown batted first and set a solid total, which mid-way through the Dorchester innings it looked like it would not be chased down, yet the tail stiffened and ultimately found the required runs in the 45th over.

Yet it was Martinstown’s lower middle order that rescued a difficult first innings, setting up the thrilling finish to the derby contest.

Sean Williams (0) was bowled for a duck by Dorchester captain James Dunham with just two runs on the board.

It seemed that might just be a minor blip before a slight collapse when at 40-1.

Ed Nichols (4) was caught by Nick Roe from a Dan Belt delivery.

Four runs later, Will Maltby (3) left the crease, having been caught by Roe from a Josh Richardson delivery, before Steve Gerety (24) departed one over and no runs later.

Yet at this point the order stiffened considerably, and Martinstown became a vastly tougher force with the bat.

Captain Sam Kershaw put in their second best score of the match with 32, and his partnership with Teddy Andrews (23) proved fruitful.

With the score at 92-4, Dorchester got their next breakthrough, removing Andrews thanks to a James Caldwell catch from a Jamie Barrett delivery.

Jamie Stewart (17) was the next to depart with the score now at 111-7, while captain Kershaw’s innings ended with the score at 138-7.

With the score seemingly not looking in Martinstown’s favour, up stepped the partnership of Hill (57) and Jacob Coombs (22) who piled on 69 runs to provoke the question from Dorchester.

The visitors had an initially more straight forward time with the bat, as Jim Ryall (16) and Owens (50) opened up with a 59-run partnership, before the former was caught by Nichols from a Stewart delivery.

It seemed Dorchester were well on their way to victory when Owens was dismissed, with the score now up to 90 runs after 15 overs.

Progress then began to get tougher, with Eral Anderson (10) the next to walk at 110 runs.

On 127-3, Martinstown began a spell that looked like it was going to drive them over the line.

James Caldwell (30), Mike Peak (1), Jamie Barrett (5) and Belt (19) all wilted in quick succession which left Martinstown 148-7.

However, Richardson (35) and Roe (20) stopped the rot, pushing Dorchester up to 184 before the latter was caught by Nichols from an Andrews delivery.

However, Richardson and Jack Walklett (2) were able to complete the thrilling finish, and ensure Dorchester top the table exactly half-way through the season.

For Martinstown, they remain second from bottom, but are 22 points clear from Stalbridge who sit in the relegation spot.

After the match, Dorchester captain Dunham praised the spirit of the game and highlighted the crucial partnership of Richardson and Roe.

Dunham told Echosport: “We talk about our depth and it was a brilliant game of cricket from both sides played in the right spirit on a lovely day at a lovely ground.

“It is always nice to be on the winning side don’t get me wrong but it feels really nice.

“Nick Roe and Josh Richardson batted very well, and their partnership helped to see us home to victory, so Josh batted very well.”

Meanwhile, Martinstown skipper Kershaw also highlighted the spirit of the match, but said he felt the better team lost.

Kershaw said:“I asked the lads to put in that extra 10 per cent against Dorchester and we did that. We batted with intent, we applied ourselves from ball one.

“You can’t really say a lot really. Like I said one team has got to lose, unfortunately we were on the wrong end of the stick.

“I don’t think that the better team on the day won, I think we can think ourselves really hard done by, obviously they came out in their batting and went harsh from ball one but then we brought it back, got them five or six down and I thought we were really in this.

“A great game of cricket, played in a really good spirit. From ball one everyone was laughing and joking with each other right down to the last ball, that is how cricket should be played.”

Martinstown host Poole Town on Saturday, while Dorchester travel to Wimborne & Colehill.