BRIDPORT 178-6 (20pts) beat SHERBORNE SECONDS 169 (10pts) by 9 runs

SOME inspired Bridport bowling saw the visitors suffer a remarkable batting collapse at Brewery Field on Saturday.

Chasing 179 for victory, Sherborne seemed to be cruising at 149-2, but, needing 30 to win, they lost eight wickets for 20 runs.

In fact, the last six wickets fell for just eight runs as Duane Gay (5-47) and Alex Lee (3-42) ran riot before captain Liam Toohill completed an amazing fight back.

The hosts made a terrible start batting first with Rod Gay (8), Toohill (7), Duane Gay (0) and Cerne Iveson (0) all going cheaply.

But at 32-4, Alex Lee joined Mark Smith at the crease and they dug in, putting on 107 before the latter was bowled for a cautious but vital 66.

Big-hitting Shane Parker joined Lee at the wicket and set about going after full batting points.

They ran well together and Parker put away the bad deliveries to the boundary to take the score to 173 when he sacrificed his wicket trying to steal a fifth run when the ball was hit to the furthest corner of the field.

Jamie Dollman struck the last ball of the innings for four to leave the home side on 178 – Lee finished 36 not out.

Sherborne also had a shaky opening to their reply when Smith held on to a sharp chance at silly point off Toohill’s bowling.

However, from there, other than Duane Gay picking up his first dismissal on 81, Sherborne began to get away.

The message from Toohill was to keep a good line and length and when Lee came on for his third spell the tide started to turn.

He came up trumps with a wicket but Bridport knew that if they could get rid of Andrew Guppy the match was there for the taking.

Not long after, Lee clean bowled the danger man for 51 with an off stump yorker, setting in motion a collapse of epic proportions.

Duane Gay then took a flurry of wickets for his fifer and, needing one more wicket with three balls to go and Sherborne requiring 10 to win, Toohill stepped up to bowl the last man.

“This was a great game to play in, but I don’t think I want our remaining games to get as close as this one did,” said Toohill.

“Alex and Smithy batted very well, they steadied the ship and, along with some help from Shane, ensured we had a decent score to bowl at.

“I think we need to have a bit of catching and fielding practice at training this week but the way we fought back was excellent.

“Duane bowled very well, just picking up wickets to swing the game our way.”