CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 220-7 (9pts) lost to SHERBORNE 271-8 (18pts) by 56 runs (revised target 277)

CATTISTOCK & Symene are still waiting to break their Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League duck after a 56-run loss to Sherborne.

Despite two rain delays reducing the game to 37 overs a side, an extraordinary 491 runs were scored in 74 overs.

When play began, Foxes’ captain Brad Damen won the toss and elected to field although Sherborne started brightly and a bowling change was required to make a breakthrough, Liam Toohill having Craig Jones (23) caught by Eric Woollard.

The visitors continued with their free-scoring stroke play, Mark Roca and Marc Lock making good progress until they were stopped by the weather in the 20th over.

After a short delay the game was further reduced to 37 overs and Damen (1-30) dismissed Lock (52), who smacked 10 fours and a six, thanks to another smart catch from Woollard.

READ MORE: Beaminster lose out to champions elect Puddletown

However, Roca (104) held firm and went to his century, off 92 balls, comprising 16 fours and two sixes, before falling to Ben Golledge, rolling back the years to have him caught by Ollie Legg.

Golledge (3-43) took two further wickets, more catches for Legg and Woollard before Toohill (4-42) returned and picked up three wickets in as many overs as the visitors finished on 271-8.

In search of a revised target of 277, Leo Gurd started well in the Foxes’ reply with Toohill against some tight new ball bowling but the latter (17) was the first to fall with 30 on the board.

Bradley Mullins joined Gurd at the crease and together they reached 100 with a handy partnership of 87 when Mullins fell soon after going to his half-century, having scored 58 runs from 45 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

Golledge then put on 50 for the third wicket with Gurd before the wicket-keeper batsman was also dismissed after reaching his half-century, making 52.

Golledge looked good at the crease but was then run out in a mix-up with his captain.

Meanwhile, the required run rate was ever increasing, Damen falling for 14 and Legg for 12, Jason Bradley finishing 14 not out as the hosts completed their innings on 220-7.

Damen said “They started very well with the bat and we did well to claw that back and take eight wickets, although they did get more runs than they should’ve.

“I was very pleased with our batting performance, Leo and Brad batted superbly up top and we were able to build partnerships the whole way through the innings. If you translate that batting performance into a 45-over innings, to be 220 with eight overs to go and wickets in hand is a strong position to be in.”

BERE REGIS II 145-9 (7pts) lost to CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 146-8 (18pts) by two wickets

CATTISTOCK & Symene Seconds claimed an invaluable two-wicket win over Bere Regis Seconds in their County Division Four top-of-the-table clash.

Sam Good’s men bowled first and George Wyrill did early damage with the new ball, reducing the hosts to 32-3 when rain came and halted the game.

When play resumed, Good (1-21) and Wyrill (4-19) took further wickets as the hosts dropped to 48-5. Robin Jones (2-28) and James Boulton (2-31) got in on the action, decimating the lower order and taking Bere to 95-9.

However, Bere’s fighting spirit shone through as Garry King (49no) and Tom Swain (8no) helped build a last-wicket partnership of 50, taking the hosts to 145-9.

In reply, the run chase got off to a good start despite losing Luke King (0) early on.

Wes Lewis got off the mark with a maximum and Reuben Kingston batted well until he fell for 16 to Pete Macklin (5-30).

Ryan White joined Lewis at the crease and the Foxes were well placed at 79-2 off 15 overs, with Lewis nearing his 50.

This was until White fell for 22 and Lewis 40 as the chase faltered. A collapse then occurred as they slipped to 128-8, Wyrill (5), Good (0), Etherington (2) and Jones (9) all falling.

Harry Angel (20no) was the in batsman and had to rein in his usual aggressive stroke play to work the ball into the gaps for ones and twos and, together with Boulton (12no), he steered the ship over the finish line.

Good said: “This was a huge victory for us, it didn’t quite go as smoothly as I would’ve liked though.

“We let them off the hook with that last-wicket partnership and then gave up a dominant position with the batting collapse.

“George bowled brilliantly once again and Harry and Boulton showed great skill to negotiate that tricky finish. This puts us in a strong position at the top of the league.”

Elsewhere, Cattistock and Symene Thirds travelled to County Division Five North & West leaders Bradford Abbas and batted first on a wet pitch.

No player made it to double figures as they were bowled out for just 32 and the hosts knocked off the runs without loss inside seven overs.