DORCHESTER 153-2 beat WEYMOUTH 126-8 by 27 runs

DORCHESTER beat rivals Weymouth by 27 runs in the renewal of the Doug Read Scorebox Trophy on Friday.

Last season, the Seasiders visited the Rec for a Twenty20 friendly celebrating the opening of Dorchester’s new electronic scoreboard.

And, while Weymouth demolished Dorchester for 60 all out in that game, there was no repeat this time.

Dorchester openers Seb Carty and Josh Richardson (7) set the foundation by playing risk-free shots to work the gaps in the field until the latter was run out by a superb direct hit from John Wilson.

Carty was joined by Simon Mitchem and the duo then accelerated, sharing a century stand for the second wicket.

Mitchem (56) was the more fluent of the two, punishing any stray deliveries and reaching his half-century before the opener.

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However, when he departed leg before to Neil Walton (1-29), it was left to Carty (63no) to pick the baton up along with Jamie Barrett (13no), who hit a big six over deep cover in the final over.

Having posted 153-2, Dorchester’s defence began well as Walton (2) and Wilson (8) both fell cheaply.

But Lloyd Beals (29) and Manoj Somaratne (27) each smashed a six to capsize Dorchester’s momentum as the Seasiders’ chase bubbled above the asking rate.

Switching to spin changed the game in Dorchester’s favour as the crafty Jim Ryall (2-28) tempted Beals to hole out on the boundary before Barrett bowled Somaratne.

Harry Mitchell added a quick 21 for Weymouth until Ryall cleaned him up – a setback from which Weymouth did not recover as Dorchester ran out comfortable winners.