TWO new teams for this Dorchester & District Evening League season began with contrasting fortunes in their Doug Read Cup ties.

Plush Seconds found Cattistock & Symene too good as they struggled to just 72-5 in reply to Cattistock’s 145-1, Leo Gurd top scoring with 48 not out.

On their return to the league, Dorchester Casuals must have been worried when Hazelbury Bryan reduced them to 25-3.

But Simon Mitchem’s 50 not out and Dan Belt with 56 not out propelled Casuals to 146-3. Mitchem then added two catches and a run out to help keep Hazelbury to just 94-6. 

Other early cup matches saw Martinstown, Cerne Valley and Charlton Down progress without alarm.

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For Martinstown, Charlie Durant’s 3-15 kept Frampton to a total of 92-7 and Martinstown passed this for a seven-wicket win with four overs to spare.

Charlton Down were also good winners against Abbotsbury.

Sam Roles hit 40 from 25 balls and Nick Voss 38 from 29 as Down won by eight wickets, despite the Swans trying seven different bowlers.

Cerne Valley saw Mark Whitmarsh hit 50 as they reached 131-3 and this proved far too much for Puddletown Rugby Club who subsided to 64 all out, thanks to three run outs and Dave Portch mopping up the tail, taking 4-6.

Whitmarsh was also on form in Cerne’s Division Two match against Puddletown Seconds, but this time with the ball as he took 4-23 in Puddle’s 89-9.

Cerne passed this for a seven-wicket win with just one over remaining.

Of the first-round cup fixtures, only Dewlish against Charlton Down Seconds fell victim to the weather.