CATTISTOCK & SYMENE II 209-8 beat CHRISTCHURCH II 106 by 103 runs

CATTISTOCK & SYMENE Seconds claimed the Dorset ‘Thank You NHS’ League Division Four title with a thumping 103-run victory at Christchurch Seconds.

Captain Sam Good, who overcame a shoulder injury, won the toss and elected to bat first.

In-form Wes Lewis started well but George Wyrill (0) and Leo Gurd (2) fell cheaply.

Harry Angel (21) was able to get going but he perished, bringing Marcel Grunschloss in for the first time this season.

Batting with Lewis, the duo surpassed 100, rotating the strike well and putting the bad ball to the boundary.

Lewis (45) and Grunschloss (30) eventually tilted as the visitors slipped to 152-5.

A gigantic tally of 58 extras, plus solid scores from Good (13), Reuben Kingston (12) and Robin Jones (19no) saw the Foxes post 209-8.

Defending their score, the Foxes began well as Ethan Robertson (2-24) struck early to take his tally of wickets for the season to an impressive 15.

Wickets tumbled as the evergreen Graham Bartlett (1-28), James Boulton (3-26) and Jones (3-8) ripped into the home team’s line-up, claiming six wickets for just 34 runs.

Wyrill (1-17) look the other wicket to fall as Good’s men claimed the silverware.

Good said: “Once again it was a brilliant knock from Wes, he was well supported by Marcel and some good cameos lower down saw us up to a good score.

“James and Robin bowled brilliantly together and completely took the game away from them.”

Reflecting on the season, Good said: “Winning all six games was a great effort from everyone involved.

“In each game we’ve had individuals put in match-winning performances but Wes and Ethan deserve special mentions. Wes scored 300 runs at an average of 60 and Ethan took 15 wickets at an average of 6.53 which is brilliant considering we had no pre-season fixtures.”

CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 149 lost to CHRISTCHURCH 186 by 37 runs

CATTISTOCK & SYMENE suffered a 37-run loss to Christchurch in their play-off for ninth place in Division One.

The Foxes only won once in this mini Dorset ‘Thank You NHS’ League season, acquiring a taste for the standard of Dorset’s top level next season.

Home skipper Bradley Damen won the toss and bowled first, taking the new ball and had a catch put down very first ball behind the stumps.

Undeterred, he trapped Tom Marsh lbw two balls later and the Foxes then reduced Christchurch to 37-3.

Ben Francis and Gareth Williams both hit 53 before the former was bowled by Liam Toohill (1-36) and Jon Legg (5-19) struck to remove the dangerous Williams for 53.

Christchurch were 156-6 here and collapsed as Liam Bowater slapped a wide ball straight to a diving Billy Wallbridge at cover. Legg went on to record his first ever five-wicket haul at Cattistock while Joe Etherington (2-31) returned to wrap up the innings as the Foxes took 7-33.

In reply, the hosts struggled at 17-2 and 68-4 but Ben Golledge (40) and Billy Wallbridge (34) fought on, the latter striking a six high over the pavilion.

However, when he was dismissed for 34 with the score on 134-8, the game was all but gone and the Foxes were eventually dismissed for 149.

Captain Brad Damen said: “We made a good start with the ball but failed to stay on top of them, from 153-3 it was a great fightback from the lads to bowl them out for 186 thanks in part to a great spell of bowling from Leggy.

“With the bat we found it hard to score against some tight bowling. Ben and Billy batted brilliantly but we just couldn’t get the partnerships started to get us closer to our target.”

Reflecting on the season, he said: “From not looking like we would get any cricket this year to being able to play six games was brilliant.

“We would’ve like to have won more games and you look at those two last-over losses against Sherborne and Bere where on a different day we could’ve come away as winners.

“It was good to be able to test ourselves against some Premier League opposition ahead of next year.”