BERE REGIS 163 (8pts) lost to BROADSTONE 238 (20pts) by 75 runs

BERE Regis sustained a blow to their Wessex Internet Dorset Premier League title ambitions as Broadstone collected a 75-run win at Bere Regis Rec.

Broadstone have proved a thorn in Bere’s side this season, completing the double over Brian Keegan’s men.

And the timing of the loss, coming one week after a thrilling success over reigning champions Poole, will be particularly sour for fourth-placed Bere.

With ominous overhead conditions, Keegan won the toss and chose to bowl hoping to make early inroads.

READ MORE: Bere Regis beat Poole Town by two wickets

Broadstone’s openers had other ideas and carved out a 56-run stand, finding the boundary with regularity.

Bere needed a breakthrough and got it when the crafty Sean Walbridge (1-35) pinned Tommy Jack (18) in front.

His sibling Ben Jack advanced to 40 from 45 balls, including six fours, before he too was given lbw as the economical Tom Munnings struck (1-24).

Broadstone took a deep breath and constructed a 92-run partnership for the third wicket as Gareth Williams and Simon Leadbeater built the foundations for a big score.

They moved on to 157-2 before Williams (37) was bowled by Dean Rogerson (2-53).

Leadbeater (52) saluted his teammates upon passing fifty but he was one of two quick wickets as Harry Leadbeater (10) was castled by Rogerson and the former was bowled by Rich Cole.

At 194-5, Bere did well to bristle through the remainder of Broadstone’s innings for just 44 more runs as Cole (3-22), Rob Murphy (2-34) and Rich Payne (1-59) all had success.

Troyanzo Maye blasted an explosive 30 from 19 balls, containing two fours and three maximums, as Broadstone were dismissed for 238.

Unusually for Bere, their top order struggled in response as the hosts collapsed to 37-5.

Their troubles were instigated by a superb spell of bowling from Owen Parkin, whose 4-13 did most of the damage including ending a stout 20 from Cole.

Ben Jack (1-29) also chipped in before Bere steadied themselves and counter-attacked.

Munnings continued his outstanding match with a brisk 46 from 41 balls, his knock incorporating eight fours and a six.

Niral Kerai (2-39) was the man to halt Munnings’ charge before Peter Thompson (3-23) picked up the wicket of Murphy (40), who had shared 64 with Munnings.

Payne (11) and Rogerson (20) dug in but two more wickets for Thompson plus another for Kerai sealed the victory.

Keegan told Echosport: “It was a bad day at the office. We bowled like drains and the ground fielding wasn’t great.

“They batted OK but got fed, we gave them 60 or 70 that we shouldn’t have done. Ultimately, they did their job and we didn’t do ours.

“When you allow a side to get 240 at our place you’re always going to be on the back foot, then we got ‘Owen Parkin-ed’.

“He bowled really well but we were well short with the bat, Tom batted well, Murph did and so did Deano. The rest of us, it wasn’t good enough.”

Bere Seconds lost by 20 runs to Broadstone Seconds in County Division Three.