BEAMINSTER 204 (20pts) beat WIMBORNE & COLEHILL THIRDS 139 (7pts) by 65 runs

BEAMINSTER secured their second win of the season to move off the bottom of County Division Two.

The match was reduced to 41 overs per side after the visiting players arrived late due to heavy traffic.

After being asked to bat, Beaminster lost an early wicket before Ross Baker took advantage of the small boundaries, scoring an explosive 40.

Meanwhile, opener Jack Walk-lett (52) anchored the innings as he batted patiently to compile his maiden half-century for the club, but wickets fell regularly until Dave Persey hit back on the counter with an aggressive 32.

The last wicket was taken in the final over as the visitors’ innings closed on 204, massively boosted by 43 extras, contributing more than all but one of the Beam-inster batsmen.

In reply, excellent pressure was exerted by Beaminster’s opening bowlers Ross Baker and Ade Phillips, with the latter taking two quick wickets.

Before Baker completed his allocation of overs, he also claimed two scalps to leave the home side struggling on 62-4.

Man of the match Walklett (4-32) was then introduced and he immediately got into his stride and ran through the Wimborne lower order.

An early finish looked possible at 95-8 until S Prince (59) played aggressively to give Wimborne some hope, but Persey claimed the final two wickets of the innings as Wimborne were bowled out for 143, 61 runs short of their target.

Baker said: “This was a particularly pleasing victory considering our struggle to field a full side with two 13-year-olds making their first-team debuts, but they both acquitted themselves well under pressure.”