DORCHESTER 168-0 (20pts) beat CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 167 (3pts) by 10 wickets

DORCHESTER blew away Cattistock & Symene by 10 wickets at Dorchester Rec to maintain their hopes of recording a hat-trick of Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League titles.

The county town side gained three points on second-placed Poole, six-wicket victors over Broadstone.

Martinstown are now one point behind Poole and 11 adrift of Dorchester, although Poole still have a game in hand over their rivals.

All three teams can still mathematically become champions with just two weekends of the season remaining.

In the end, a maximum 20 points for Dorchester was a fitting end to captain James Dunham’s tenure as the left-arm seamer steps aside from the role for 2022.

READ MORE: Will Maltby hits 80 to help sink Dorchester

His side’s victory began when Cattistock & Symene won the toss and batted first, Dan Belt (1-34) bowling Leo Gurd (0).

Luke King (30) and Liam Toohill (29) rebuilt with a 56-run stand until they fell to off-spinner Jamie Barrett (3-14).

Billy Wallbridge (23) and Ben Golledge (43) kicked the Foxes on but the visitors’ progress was stunted by Simon Mitchem (4-13).

George Wyrill, with 22 from 16 balls, was the only other Fox to reach double figures as Dorchester bowled Cattistock out for 167.

If the hosts had made light work of the Foxes’ batting line-up, they made even lighter work of their bowling unit.

Seb Carty (63no) and Will McKay (80no) were in sensational form, racing to their half-centuries.

The Foxes simply had no answer as Carty carved seven fours in his 60-ball knock, while the destructive McKay hammered 11 fours and three maximums from 65 balls.

Their hitting rocketed Dorchester home in 20.3 overs, scoring at eight runs an over.

Speaking to Echosport, Dunham was delighted by a win that keeps the pressure on Poole and Martinstown.

He said: “We needed to win the game but if we’re going to put pressure on Poole, it’s thinking about the points.

“It’s quite exciting this time of year when you’re having to think about bowling sides out or hitting a certain amount of runs, it adds spice to the game.

“I’m very happy with the way we bowled, fielded and batted. It was quite a ruthless performance.”

On McKay and Carty, Dunham added: “Will and Seb made it look easy, they were class out there.

“It was the 21st over they knocked (the target) off in and we still had a lot to come as well, so credit to them.”

With the title on the line, Dunham said: “As long as we push it to the last game of the season, that’s all we can do.

“If it works out that we don’t win it, then we don’t win it. I think if we can make sure that Poole have to get 18 points from the last game against Bere Regis, that’s not easy at Poole Park.

“We’ll keep building the pressure. Twenty points next week and we’re up there.”

Dorchester host Christchurch on Saturday (1pm) in their all-important final game.

Dorchester Seconds lost by eight wickets to Corfe Mullen in County Division Two, while Dorchester Thirds lost by 10 wickets at Puddletown Seconds in County Division Five North & West.