CHARLTON DOWN 64 (4pts) lost to WIMBORNE & COLEHILL II 244-8 (20pts) by 180 runs

DEPLETED Charlton Down suffered a huge 180-run loss to County Division Two promotion hopefuls Wimborne & Colehill Seconds at the Herrison Oval.

Through unavailability the hosts were missing numerous key players including Matt and Dan Stevens, Jae Miller and Kim Park while star batsman Sam Roles has been absent all season.

Charlton Down bowled first on a good wicket but the visitors soon chalked up a solid opening stand of 90.

Wimborne batted well but could have lost a wicket on the first ball of the match when top scorer Darren Jones was adjudged to be not out by the umpire after an appeal for leg before wicket.

The Minstermen went on to chalk up a stand of 90 for the first wicket before former Weymouth youngster Jack Taylor (1-28) ended Jones’ two-hour and 60-run stay at the crease.

Fellow opener and away skipper Ben Ratcliffe batted well for his 39 before Lewis Harrington caught him at short cover off Javed Gill (1-36) who bowled an excellent line.

Adam Child batted patiently in his partnership with Jones and he was finally out for 50.

The pick of the Charlton Down bowlers was Mark Homewood with 4-38.

The left-arm seamer was unlucky not to have picked up five or six wickets with aerial shots landing agonisingly between fielders.

In reply, excellent bowling on a good wicket from the impressive Sam Prince (3-14 from nine overs) and 3-15 from Craig Barker was too good for a young Charlton Down team.

Only Jack Eveleigh (15) and the experienced Roger Frapwell (12) made double-figure scores, while extras (16) provided the most runs for the hosts.

After the game, captain Pete Tucker admitted “poor shot selection” had been a factor in the defeat

He said: “A bad day at the office on the batting front where a mixture of good bowling from Sam Prince and poor shot selection helped in our poor batting display.

“However, I hope our young players can look at the solid batting display by Wimborne and replicate that in our next match.

“The positive was our bowling and fielding display which with a bit of luck could have restricted Wimborne. Top effort from our senior player Mark Homewood with his four wickets.”

Charlton Down now sit in ninth – the first relegation spot – three points adrift of Poole Town Seconds after their 37-run win over Cranborne.

Tucker’s men next face second-placed Witchampton away on Saturday (1.30pm).