CHRISTCHURCH 283-8 (20pts) beat MARTINSTOWN 142 (6pts) by 141 runs

MARTINSTOWN’S poor season ended with a whimper as Christchurch claimed a massive 141-run victory to guarantee their Dorset Premier League status for 2023.

Christchurch needed to score at 12 points to assure themselves of finishing above the drop zone, the clutches of which Puddletown were hoping to escape from.

And Christchurch ended up sealing eighth spot after taking all 20 points and inflicting a 13th defeat of the season on Martinstown, who had dropped several first-teamers to bolster their second team.

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Christchurch batted first and despite deadline bowling performances from Ben Fry (3-33) and the returning Chris Read (3-63), managed to score 283-8.

James Cross (89) and Ben Rayner (56) starred with the bat for the hosts and between them (145) scored more than Martinstown’s 11 players combined.

Oli Spink (38) and Henry Lewis (41) took Martinstown to 100-2 but the visitors collapsed to 142 all out as Thomas Hughes claimed 5-25.

Speaking to Echosport, Martinstown captain Charlie Durant said: “Everyone who was there gave it a real good go.

“Ben Fry made his first-team debut and he bowled beautifully. It’s always good for a young lad to step in and perform well.

“Henry batted nicely to get decent runs, he took the side on as well. Rich O’Brien managed to put together a side, otherwise we’d have been struggling.

“He used to play for Martinstown before moving to Hampshire but we got in contact with him and he brought his son and two of his mates down so we had a side out.”

Reflecting on the season, Durant said: “I think it was average. All the other games we’ve had a big say in, it’s just fine margins.

“We’re still a young team and hopefully we’ll get stronger, then we can compete a bit more. We know we can do it.

“We’ve got a solid group, we just need to keep them and maybe add to it.”

Martinstown Seconds are set to be relegated after finishing ninth in County Division Three, following a seven-wicket loss to rivals Kingston Lacy, who escaped the drop in eighth courtesy of the victory.