CATTISTOCK 233 (12pts) lost to WEYMOUTH II 235-9 (20pts) by one wicket
Weymouth Seconds came out on top by a solitary wicket in a game for the ages at Cattistock.
With regular skipper Mark Gregory away, Jack Taylor took the reins, and his decision to bowl first paid instant dividends as Matthew Morton nicked off to Tim Webb for a platinum duck.
Webb was causing plenty of problems early on and he didn't have to wait long to pick up his second of the day, bowling Tom Morgan for a duck, with the score on nine.
Webb's opening partner Graham Puckett (1-25) then joined the party, bowling Marco Giannasi (11), as Cattistock found themselves in early bother at 37-3.
Foxes skipper Steven Tucker was now in and, having scored a match-winning hundred at Redlands earlier in the season, the Seasiders were all too aware of the danger he presented.
Sure enough, he began to pull his side back into the game.
He shared 35 with Kevin Gifford (17) before the latter was run-out by Webb, and when James Stacey-Marks fell to Luke Williams (1-32) for a duck, Cattistock were on the ropes at 77-5.
But Tucker single-handedly began to drag his side back into the contest by hitting Taylor for consecutive boundaries, then striking Williams for two maximums in the 15th over.
He and George Bishop put on 65 for the sixth wicket but the introduction of Sam Polley in the 27th over did the trick for the Seasiders, as he bowled Bishop (24) and then John Jones (0) two balls later, as Cattistock were checked at 141-7.
But dangerman Tucker was still there and he began to tee-off - striking several boundaries as he neared another century.
Dexter Limm removed Archie Mullins (5) but Tucker took 15 off Polley's next over, then took 19 off Webb - smashing a maximum, then a boundary which brought him his hundred.
He went on to make 128 from 101 balls, before he was bowled by Webb (3-48), having taken the score to 233.
Chris Elliot (6) was the last man out, bowled by Limm (2-22), as Cattistock set Weymouth a target of 234 to win.
Sean McCumiskey and Jacob Taylor got Weymouth off to a solid start in reply.
They shared 53 for the opening stand, before McCumiskey (25) was caught by Gifford off Stacy-Marks (3-57), who soon removed number three Pete Sapsworth (9).
When Jacob Taylor (26) was pinned lbw by Morton (3-30), Weymouth fell to 74-3.
Jack Taylor and Webb rebuilt, sharing 64 for the fourth wicket.
Taylor looked in fine form, striking three maximums on his way to 34, but his fun was ended when he was bowled by Morton, who picked up his third just four balls later when Webb (19) nicked off.
Limm (13) was later bowled by Archie Mullins (1-36), leaving Weymouth on 152-6.
But Andy Whitlum counter-attacked - striking four boundaries off the 29th over which went for 24 and pulled Weymouth right back into contention.
Whitlum senior's cameo came to an end for 19 when he was caught and bowled by Giannasi (2-49), which left the big-hitting Polley and Williams together.
The pair put on 28 for the eighth wicket with Polley striking a couple of big sixes, taking Weymouth to within 20 runs of victory, needing just under a run-a-ball.
But there were more twists to come.
Williams (3) became Stacy-Marks’ third victim, and Polley (30) holed out off Giannasi, leaving the final-wicket pair of Graham Puckett and Jacob Whitlum needing 14 runs to win, with 17 balls left.
With the first-team game back at Redlands having long since finished, a crowd gathered around one mobile phone to watch a Face Time screening of the dramatic finale.
Puckett struck his second ball to the boundary and followed it up with a single, before Whitlum defended the next two balls, making the equation nine from 12.
Puckett took another single off the second ball of the penultimate over and then Whitlum found the rope, followed by a single off the last ball to pinch the strike, leaving three needed off the final over.
The tension was palpable as Giannasi bowled the final over.
Two dots added to the drama, but the celebrations erupted from the Seasiders when Whitlum junior found the boundary to seal a most dramatic victory for his side with just three balls to spare.
With no Weymouth player having scored more than 34, it was a real team effort with every batter chipping in, plus a helpful 42 extras.
Vice-captain Jack Taylor said: "It’s the first time this season we have been in a real nailbiter.
"But we were brought out of the other side of it by the kids who played like young adults.
"Everyone chipped in with runs and wickets everywhere but the credit has to go to the youngsters."
Weymouth are sixth in Division Three, just 21 points below second-placed Puddletown, and host champions-elect Rolex at Redlands on Saturday (1pm).
