SHERBORNE 269 (20pts) beat CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 171 (8pts) by 98 runs

A WEAKENED Cattistock & Symene side toiled hard in the sun in search for their first Dorset Premier League win of the season, but fell 98 runs short to an experienced Sherborne side.

With three of their regular top four batters missing, as well as several bowling injuries, Cattistock & Symene bowled first on a green wicket at the Terrace.

After making an excellent start and removing both openers, the visitors paid for several fielding mistakes and dropped catches as Mike Kennedy (62) and Marc Lock (37) built the score.

READ MORE: Cattistock & Symene suffer triple defeat

Despite the fine efforts of Joe Etherington (5-64), Sherborne continued to build a commanding total with Tom Harris (63) and Tim Durston (60) helping them up to 269 all out.

In reply, the Foxes did not get off to the best of starts, finding themselves 32-3 inside eight overs.

Ollie Legg and captain Steve Tucker looked to build a steady partnership in the afternoon heat until Legg (18) chipped to square leg after the drinks break.

Other than a whirlwind innings from George Wyrill, who scored 24 from just 18 balls, the Foxes struggled to find partners for Tucker (63), who was eventually the final wicket to fall as the visitors were dismissed for 171.

Tucker said: "Eight points away from home with so many players missing is a good effort from the boys.

"If we want to stay in this league we need to find ways of winning games, though. We are gifting teams too many extras, dropping catches weekly which you cannot do against good teams like Sherborne.

"Next week, we are back at home and I am looking for a big response from my players."

HAMWORTHY REC II 187 (5pts) lost to CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 190-1 (20pts) by nine wickets

CATTISTOCK and Symene Seconds raced to a nine-wicket win at bottom club Hamworthy Recreation Seconds to consolidate their County Division Three promotion aspirations.

Hamworthy had little hesitation in batting first given the hot weather and amassed a respectable 187 all out, keeping the Foxes in the field into the 38th over.

Six of the top order batters mustered double figures with Ty Stroud top scoring for a composed 36.

Sam Good laboured manfully in the heat to finish wicketless but Sam Challis (3-34) and Rob Jones (2-22) struck at regular intervals before the in-form all-rounder Luke Robertson mopped up the tail to end with 3-10.

After tea, the visitors made light work of the run chase with Challis, hurrying to finish proceedings early, scoring nearly half the runs in a merciless innings before falling just short of a deserved century with 91.

Fellow opener Reuben Kingston, starved of the strike, made an untypically ponderous one run an over 23 not out in support but when Challis was dismissed by Huw Foulkes-Jones (1-36), Good strode to the crease to bludgeon a rapid 38 not out to end proceedings with 14.3 overs to spare.

Next up is an important home assignment against second-placed Broadstone.

The Foxes' third team had no game and return to action away to Lytchett on Saturday (1.30pm).

DORSET CRICKET LEAGUE UNDER-13S CUP FINAL

MARTINSTOWN 108/9 (19.5 OVERS) BEAT SYMENE 106/5 (20 OVERS)

A BOUNDARY off the penultimate ball of the match saw Martinstown crowned West Dorset Under-13 champions by one wicket against Symene after an exciting final that ebbed and flowed throughout.

Both teams showed admirable commitment in the field with exemplary ground fielding and backing up.

Batting first on a glorious evening, Symene made 106-5 with opener Orran Maudsley making an excellent 24.

The innings gained late impetus with Freddie Tait (16) and Joliffe Ashford adding 43 runs for the fourth wicket to set a challenging target.

In reply, the visitors were rocked by the early dismissals of both openers, with a spectacular one-stump run-out by Archie Tait the champagne moment of the match.

Theo Savva made 17 at number three but Maudsley (2-13), Lucas Richards (3-22) and an excellent economical spell of 2-9 from Sam Hart’s four overs together had Martinstown in real trouble at 69-8 with the overs running out.

But an outstanding boundary-studded undefeated 24 from a nerveless Sam Kershaw tilted the balance back to Martinstown in the tense closing two overs to see the visitors edge home in a match neither side deserved to lose.