WITCHAMPTON 113-2 (20pts) beat BEAMINSTER 111 (2pts) by eight wickets

BEAMINSTER fell to an eight-wicket loss against Witchampton after their opponents chased a modest target of 111 in 27 overs in County Division Two.

On a green wicket, Beaminster elected to bat first and struggled throughout their innings due to the lively surface.

The Witchampton bowlers were excellent as they took wickets at regular intervals as the top order failed to lay a foundation.

Opening bowler Ricky Hempstead (3-25) bowled unchanged and took crucial top wickets at the start of the innings.

Despite a determined and patient knock of 24 by Chris Park, wickets continued to tumble around him.

Although the away team managed a respectable score of 111, this total was inadequate and was unlikely to trouble the in-form Witchampton team.

This proved as such when 62 runs were scored before youngsters Will Moss (1-13) and Oli Bareham (1-11) combined to show resistance.

The target was eventually reached in the 27th over, with Beaminster managing to take two points from the game.

After the match, Beaminster captain Ross Baker admitted it had been a bit of a dead rubber, with his side unable to get promoted and unable to get relegated.

Witchampton however are still in the hunt for promotion, lying 12 points off the second promotion spot but currently fourth in the table now with one game to go.

Baker said: “It was a difficult one for us because it was a bit of a dead rubber, we probably would not go up a place in the table or go below so it was a bit of a dead rubber for us but Witchampton were really up for it and played exceptionally well.

“I thought their bowling was as good as we have faced all season, they bowled really well on quite a lively wicket. We lost three early wickets and did not really recover from that.”

Baker praised Park for his score of 24, as he stayed at the wicket for nearly 30 overs.

Baker said: “I thought Chris Park applied himself really well because normally he is a free-scoring player but he batted for nearly 30 overs so he really tried to grit it out but other than that everyone else really struggled.”

Beaminster now travel to promotion hopefuls Weymouth for the last game of the season on Saturday (1.30pm).