WIMBORNE & COLEHILL II 181-5 (19pts) beat WEYMOUTH 180 (9pts) by one run

WEYMOUTH endured a heart-breaking one-run defeat to Wimborne & Colehill Seconds at the Leaze in County Division One.

Needing two to win with 10 balls remaining, Weymouth lost their last wicket when Samson Bailey (2-25) dismissed teenage debutant Ollie Gordon (1) for the narrowest of losses.

Wimborne won the toss and chose to bat and were under early pressure after Graham Puckett (1-25) removed Ed Steele (2) to leave the hosts on 4-1.

Fellow opener Dom Webb (1-27) then snared Graham Cole (12) before new batsman Kevin Hall (9) was given out leg before off Harry Mitchell (1-31).

Darren Jones (53) then shared 43 with Miles Storey (15) until they both fell to off-spinner Dave Pearce (2-32) to reach 116-5.

But the hosts rallied to 181-5 from their 45 overs courtesy of unbeaten knocks from captain Lewis Naylor (38no) and Hugo Hartley (28no).

Weymouth’s reply was rocked early as they were reduced to 19-3, openers Tony Quayle (0) and Pete Gordon (1) dismissed by Naylor (1-31) and Joe Trent (3-23) respectively, with stand-in skipper Paul Payne (7) also bowled by Trent.

New batsman Mitchell (59) joined Dom Webb (22) at the crease and the duo set about rebuilding the innings with an encouraging 49 stand, until Webb perished to Sam Prince (3-32).

On 68-4, Pearce entered the fray and constructed a vital 64-run partnership with Mitchell, who hit a brilliant maiden half-century before falling to Trent.

Pearce then took up the baton but his dismissal saw Weymouth wobble to 176-9 as Prince took two more scalps.

Wimborne completed their nerveless fightback by ousting Gordon for a slim one-run victory with nine balls left.

Speaking to Echosport, a “gutted” Payne admitted he was “proud” of his young team.

He said: “It was such a shame that we couldn’t get over the line. I’m gutted for everyone who played because they all gave so much to the game to get a result. To fall just short, I’m gutted.

“If we show that fight for the last couple of games we’ll be fine, that was a fantastic effort.”

Commenting on the performances of Mitchell and Pearce, Payne credited them with hauling their side back into the game.

He said: “Harry got his maiden 50 and was absolutely fantastic. That partnership with Dave got us right back in it. Dave hasn’t picked a bat up in over a year and he bowled superbly as well.”