BROADSTONE 196 (7pts) lost to CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 300-6 (20pts) by 104 runs

CATTISTOCK & Symene finished their maiden Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League campaign in style with a 104-run win over Broadstone at Delph Woods.

Victory saw the Foxes break the 100-point barrier and finish 21 points above Christchurch at the bottom of the table.

Broadstone opted to bowl first and the Foxes opening pair started well, Reuben Kingston finding the boundary early on.

At the other end, Ollie Nicholas was more watchful in the opening overs but soon got going as the new ball bowlers tired. They had put on a half-century partnership when Kingston was first to go, bowled for 26, aiming to plant the ball into the trees.

Nicholas was joined by Bradley Mullins at the crease, together they took the score past 100 and beyond with Nicholas picking up his scoring rate and passing 50.

The 118-run partnership between them was broken when Nicholas was bowled for a fine 78 comprising of 12 fours from 92 balls.

READ MORE: Cattistock & Symene Seconds storm to Division Four title

Mullins then passed his 50 in typically quick fashion, before being bowled for 58. With just 15 overs left, 190 on the board and wickets in hand the Foxes were ready to launch for 300.

Ben Golledge (12) and Liam Toohill (17) scored quickly before departing but it was Steve Tucker (36) and Sam Baker (40no) that got them up there, the former sending three sixes into the woods and Baker hitting eight fours as the Foxes posted 300-6.

In defence of the target, George Wyrill again started well with the new ball although he and Bradley Damen found wickets hard to come by, with the ball passing the edge of the bat and looping into the gaps on many occasions.

It was Baker (1-31) who made the breakthrough as the home team looked to be building a solid foundation for the run chase at 90-0 with Pete Russell (47) and Simon Leadbeater (35) in the runs.

However, a short ball reared up and took Russell’s top edge, Kingston providing the safe pair of hands under the high ball.

Damen (1-42) then struck to remove Leadbeater, a slower ball moving back past the edge and taking off stump. Ollie Legg was introduced and caused chaos for the Broadstone middle order, taking 4-52 and reducing them to 149-6. Mullins (1-11) got in on the act and Ben Golledge (3-9) then wrapped up proceedings, giving the Foxes a deserved victory.

Foxes’ captain Damen said: ‘This was a great all-round performance from the lads, Reuben and Ollie made a watchful start and saw off the new ball which gave us a great platform.

“Ollie batted brilliantly for his 78 as did Moose (Mullins) for his 50. The lads coming in down the order had freedom to go for it and Sharkey (Baker) and Tucker got us up to 300 which was excellent.

“We found wickets hard to come by but managed to reduce the run rate dramatically and it got to a point where we weren’t looking like taking any wickets but they weren’t looking like chasing the target down.

“The boys did well to make that breakthrough and then control the game from then on, Ollie and Ben showed great skill with their slow bowling to pick up seven wickets between them.”

SWANAGE II 245-2 (18pts) beat CATTISTOCK & SYMENE II 241-6 (6pts) by eight wickets

HAVING secured the County Division Four title in their last game, a much-changed Foxes’ second string lost by eight wickets at Swanage.

Away skipper Sam Good opted to bat first when he won the toss and Cattistock made a steady start with Leo Gurd scoring freely but at the other end James Boulton (11), Jay Collins (2) and then Joe Etherington (14) were dismissed to put the Foxes at 76-3.

Harry Angel joined Gurd at the crease and they put on 141 for the fourth wicket, Gurd passing 50 with a range of elegant strokes whilst Angel bludgeoned the ball to all parts of the ground. Their partnership was eventually ended in consecutive balls, first Angel for 64 and then Gurd for 90, the Foxes closing out their innings on 241-6 as Simon Goldsack took 3-46.

With Good mixing up his bowling order to give everyone a go, the Swans made light work of their target, chasing it down in just the 34th over. There were wickets for Marcel Grunchie (1-28) and Ollie Greenham (1-26) as the home team wrapped up victory by eight wickets.

Elsewhere, the Foxes’ third team lost by 20 runs for a bonus-point defeat to Weymouth Seconds in County Division Five North & West at Symondsbury.

In restricting Weymouth to 202-6 there were wickets for Brad Wilkinson (1-34), Ollie James (1-7), Jade Wilkinson (1-38) and George Crabb (1-32) along with a pair of run outs for Justin Gurd and Louis Partridge respectively.

In reply, the Foxes made 182 all out with 15-year-old Corey Baker claiming superb figures of 6-32.

There were useful knocks from Brian Earl (45), Lloyd Cleal (27), Seb Gawen (15) and Ollie James (22) but the Foxes came up just short.