Beaminster beat Shillingstone by 48 runs

BEAMINSTER continued their challenge for the County Division Two title with a high-scoring win over Shillingstone at the Memorial Ground.

Ben Golledge scored a magnificent unbeaten 114 to help the league leaders post 288-9 but Shillingstone fought bravely before being dismissed for 240.

Beaminster skipper Chris Park won the toss and elected to bat on another warm day but lost opener Will Moss (0) early on. Park smashed five boundaries although he was ousted by Eddie Weedon (3-60) to leave the hosts on 33-2.

From there, Golledge gave a masterclass in building an innings as he constructed brutal stands with Ross Baker and Adam Moss.

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Baker (50) crashed three maximums and six fours in their 90-run partnership, only ended when Michael Angell (1-49) trapped the all-rounder lbw.

However, as he so often has done this season, Moss came in and rocketed to a brilliant half-century.

His first five scoring shots were fours and he shared 108 with Golledge for the fourth wicket in just 11 overs.

Moss eventually departed for 57 having crunched nine fours and three sixes, David Lockyer (4-40) bowling him.

Beaminster then gave Golledge the majority of the strike as he collected his maiden century for the club with consecutive boundaries.

However, Shillingstone did well to limit the hosts to 288-9 as Lockyer and Weedon both took two wickets, adding to a late run out.

With Beaminster needing maximum points to apply pressure to Chalke Valley in second, an aggressive field was set in their defence.

Stuart Antell (10) hit a four and a six before Ollie Bareham (2-35) bowled him, the same fate befalling Will Salisbury as Nick Hollely (3-50) struck.

Nick Marshall (18), Henry Turpie (27) and Jean-Paul Hartley (14) all got starts before perishing, Weedon (0) the only player in the middle order to fail.

That brought former Dorset star Les Elsworth to the crease along with Chris Cole, the duo scoring freely to give Beaminster a scare late in the innings.

Cole hit six boundaries before James Edmunds (2-42) struck but Elsworth kept going despite the run rate proving too high.

Having passed fifty, Elsworth was off strike in the final over but a skied catch to point off Harry Paulley (18) enabled the batters to cross.

Elsworth (86) smacked a four off Hollely but the left-armer cleaned him up to end a superlative innings containing 13 fours and two sixes, winning Beaminster all 22 points in the process.

Speaking to the Bridport News, Park said: “We were looking at 300 at one point but the late order collapsed a little bit.

“Ross and Adam dominated, put their foot down and Ben stuck it out for a magnificent hundred and hit some lovely shots, a great innings.

“Knowing we’ve got to take ten wickets every game we had a luxury where we could attack in the field.

“Then Les came in and showed his class. With about five overs to go they needed 65 but I put the field back to be defensive and we took the two wickets we needed.

“It was handy having those runs on the board. I always felt we would win, it was just a lot closer than it could’ve been.”

Beaminster face a top-two clash at Chalke Valley on Saturday (1.30pm).

Park said: “I haven’t looked at the table but I know from what people tell me that they’re only (six) points behind.

“I think we’re probably massive underdogs. They’re the strongest side in the league and we’re doing what we can to stay top. We’ll hopefully put up a good fight.”

Ross Baker and Simon Jones miss out for Beaminster, but in come Tom Goatly and Paul Edwards.

Beaminster: Park, W Moss, Golledge, A Moss, Goatly, Fowler, Edmunds, Edwards, Abeywickrama, O Bareham, Hollely.