Beaminster remain in hunt for elusive win (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Beaminster remain in hunt for elusive win

9:20am Wednesday 6th June 2012 in Local Sport By Ky Capel

Beaminster 126 (4pts) lost to CHRISTCHURCH 130-5 (20pts) by five wickets

BEAMINSTER’S search for a first win goes on after Christchurch recorded their maiden victory of the Dorset League Division Two campaign.

Struggling to raise a side for the long trip east, the former were forced to draft in a number of second-team youngsters.

And despite an unbeaten half-century from Richard Runyard (57 not out), the visitors were skittled for 126.

Captain Will Everitt (2-18) and predecessor Ross Baker (2-40) both snared a brace of wickets as Beaminster attempted to fight back, but the home side eased past their target with five wickets and 22 overs to spare.

Everitt said: “After a real struggle to field a side to go to Christchurch over the Jubilee weekend, we finally got 11 players with the help of second-team captain Hugh Rathbone and a number of his young, up-and-coming players – Dave Percy, Andrew Living-stone and Nick Hill.

“We were always up against it with such a changed side from previous weeks, but we did the best we could.

“A good knock from Rich was a promising sign that form is coming back to him. Unfortunately, a misfiring top order was our downfall again.

“We should though, have a strengthened team for this Saturday’s home game with Shillingstone, with the return of opener Freddie Everitt and strike bowler Tom Goatly.”

Had it not been for Runyard, Beaminster would have struggled to reach the century mark.

Extras (18) provided their second highest contribution with the visitors’ last five batsmen managing just a single run between them as J Cross (4-14) and N Marsh (4-22) polished off the tail.

For all their efforts in the field, Beaminster never really looked like denying their opponents victory.

J Dear (4) and J Adams (0), both falling victim to Baker, failed to make an impact but solid knocks from J Malone (39), B Rayner (31 not out) and T Jeans (26) were enough to guide Christchurch to their first success of the summer.