MARTINSTOWN 264-9 (17pts) beat CATTISTOCK & SYMENE 268-4 (12pts) by one wicket – (DLS revised target 261)
MARTINSTOWN held their nerve to beat Cattistock & Symene by one wicket on the penultimate ball of a compelling rain-affected Dorset Premier League clash at Lower Ashton Farm.
Victory pushes Town up into sixth place in the league, while bottom side Cattistock & Symene trail Puddletown by two points in ninth after coming desperately close to their first win this season.
Cattistock & Symene did all they could to post that elusive victory, with their winless run stretching seven games back to the final game of the 2021 season and a 104-run success at Broadstone.
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And the Foxes were well on their way to breaking their duck thanks to an aggressive batting display – despite losing the toss and being asked to bat first.
Wes Lewis (36) scored the majority of a 54-run opening stand with Luke King to set the visitors up, with Jason Bradley taking up the baton after Jacob Coombs (1-29) struck.
The Foxes’ number three struck four boundaries and a six in his 42 as Cattistock & Symene bounded into triple figures at 132-1.
Needing a wicket to stem the tide, Martinstown turned to the unlikely source of wicketkeeper-batter Ed Nichols (2-28).
The former Dorset man pinned Bradley and King (43) leg before in the space of one over, Charlie Durant (1-52) then striking to remove Brad Mullins (1) as the Foxes stumbled to 134-4.
Leading the resurgence was captain Steve Tucker, who blasted an unbeaten 79 to push the away side onto a magnificent score.
The big-hitting batter bludgeoned six maximums and four boundaries in his scintillating 34-ball knock, with Ollie Nicholas (41no) also scoring quickly.
Their unbroken partnership of 134 doubled the Foxes’ total to 268-4, leaving Martinstown with plenty to do in their chase.
Martinstown were in early difficulty at 7-2 as brothers Sean (0) and Finlay Williams (4) fell to George Wyrill (3-71) and Mullins (1-44) respectively.
Nichols found the boundary seven times in a fluent 34-ball 36 and Will Maltby also looked at ease with four fours and a maximum in his 17-ball 22.
That was until Wyrill removed both players and a quickfire double from the economical Ollie Legg (2-31) to dismiss Ry Gerety (36) and Ed Maltby (0) had the hosts in deep trouble at 105-6.
However, former skipper Sam Kershaw teamed up with Jenson Stewart either side of a rain delay that robbed the hosts of four overs in their chase.
The duo crashed 140, carving 17 boundaries and two maximums between them, to haul their side back in with a chance of victory – helped by pummelling 33 from Joe Etherington’s final two overs.
But back came the Foxes in a thrilling finish, Lewis (3-7) removing both men and Durant (4) to reduce Town to 252-9 from 246-6.
Still needing nine from the final over, Martinstown’s Charlie Andrews (9no) and Coombs (1no) played a blinder.
Andrews struck two boundaries off Archie Mullins (0-9) to win the game with just one ball to spare, sending his side into ecstasy and the Foxes into disbelief.
POOLE TOWN III 216-5 (19pts) beat CATTISTOCK & SYMENE II 212-8 (7pts) by five wickets
CATTISTOCK & Symene Seconds' yo-yo June continued with a five-wicket defeat at Poole Park.
Captain Reuben Kingston shrugged off the unavailability of several regulars and led the way magnificently with a blistering 77 to help set a challenging target of 212.
Kingston gained excellent support from a top five who all mustered double figures, with veteran Mark Tozer summoned from retirement to register a classy 30 in his first game for nine years.
In deteriorating blustery and cool weather conditions, the visitors plugged away well in the field but could not dislodge Poole’s opener Nick Williams who was finally dismissed for 76, bowled by Bradley Wilkinson.
With Ben Strong 3-52 and James Boulton 1-27 making early inroads at the other end, the Foxes scented victory but could not quite break through to the tailenders.
Despite deploying eight bowlers, Sam Leaton’s undefeated 30 proved decisive for the hosts.
Kingston said: “I’m very pleased with the effort shown. We’re still second, took Poole to the 36th over and still emerged with seven points. It’s Cerne at home next week so we’re looking forward to that."
CATTISTOCK & SYMENE III 264-5 (20pts) beat DORCHESTER III (5pts) by 115 runs
LEO Gurd’s third team registered back-to-back wins with an emphatic 115-run defeat of Dorchester Thirds.
Gurd led the way with a typically brisk 34 but a flurry of wickets, which saw the hosts fall from 44-0 to 57-4, gave cause for alarm until a magnificent 195-run fifth-wicket partnership between debutant colt George Rogers, who was nursed along throughout by the returning Liam Toohill.
Toohill, clearly finding his feet at this level, scored a magnificent boundary-studded 102 with Rogers (91no) left stranded just short of a deserved century as the overs ran out.
In reply, Dorchester set off with intent in pursuing the huge 264 target but George Crabb had other ideas bowling well to bag three top-order wickets on his way to 3-36 to leave the visitors in trouble.
John Firkin registered a fine 74 before chipping a catch back to bowler Nate Stantiford-Knight and Jay Collins showed admirable commitment with a heroic stop on the boundary to keep Firkin off strike.
The wily spin of Graham Bartlett yet again snuffed out the tailenders with his trademark arm-ball deceiving a defiant Richard Temple (19) to begin the rout to finish with 5-12 from seven overs, including three maidens.
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