SWANAGE 109-4 (19pts) beat WEYMOUTH 106-8 (4pts) by six wickets

WEYMOUTH suffered their fourth straight defeat as Swanage coasted home by six wickets in a rain-affected County Division One clash.

Reduced to 24 overs per side as the elements intervened, Weymouth lost the toss and were invited to bat first in drizzling conditions.

Swanage duly reduced the Seasiders to 44-6 as only Joe James (20) made any impression on the Swans’ attack, Ryan Stearn taking 2-11.

However, Jonny Armfield (28) and Manoj Somaratne (32) led the counter-attack with a fine 54-run stand, helping Weymouth post 106-8.

Armfield (2-41) made two early breakthroughs in defence of the total, with the wickets of the dangerous Tom Salmon and Nilan Weeraddanana (both 0).

That was until Mike Salmon tore into the Weymouth attack, plundering seven fours and five sixes in his knock of 67.

When he departed at 82-3, the damage was done as Lewis Kirby (28no) saw out victory.

READ MORE: Dorset motorcycling star Brad Jones improving in hospital

Speaking to Echosport, Seasiders’ skipper Harry Mitchell said: “As soon as we went out there it started raining, so we didn’t get the best conditions.

“Towards the end of our innings and their innings, the sun did come out but you can’t blame the toss.

“As a team we decided to hit as many balls as we could and looked to try and run hard. It didn’t quite come off.

“Four or five of our wickets were just pop-ups to cover – we had the mindset we were going to be aggressive – and we did give wickets away.

“It’s not ideal, I probably got my tactics wrong. We should’ve set a 150 target, which would’ve made it interesting.

“Instead I tried to be greedy and go for the 160, 170 mark, which obviously we didn’t get near in the end.”

Weymouth host Witchampton at Redlands tomorrow (1.30pm).

Dorset Trade Skills Weymouth man of the match: Jonny Armfield