Weymouth put in 'most complete' display to beat Poole

WEYMOUTH 167-5 (20pts) beat POOLE TOWN II 165 (5pts) by five wickets

A FIVE-WICKET haul for Neil Walton and a rapid half-century from Dom Webb has seen Weymouth hold off a spirited performance from Poole Town Seconds to win their County Division One match by five wickets.

Poole were 121-3 at one stage, but a double-wicket maiden from Walton (5-14) saw them stumble to 166 all out, with Harry Mitchell (3-35) chiming in to keep Poole to a manageable score for the Seasiders to chase.

This was still a solid total on a Redlands wicket that required plenty of patience and application by the batters, but Webb's 55-ball 58 along with contributions from Walton, Russ Haylock and Kieron Womble saw the hosts home.

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Poole were steadfast to begin the match, working their way through the opening spells of Lloyd Beals and Danish Ahmad. It was first-change bowler Walton who brought about the first wicket, taking the wicket of opener Badrul Alam (18) to break a 38-run stand for the first wicket.

Walton also removed Robin Lutman (14) in his first spell to leave Poole 46-2, however a fightback led by number three Ben Wright got the visitors heading in the right direction.

Wright was the dominant force in the third-wicket partnership of 41, before Mitchell coaxed out Luke Hall (8). New batter Jeremiah Edy combined with Wright for a 34 run-partnership but was the first of Walton's victims when he returned to the attack.

Walton then bowled Andrew Lands for a golden duck, and removed Ryan Davidson in the following over to cement his maiden first-team five-wicket haul, all his victims bowled, and leave Poole in strife at 134-6.

Wright fought on however, showing a full array of strokes before being pinned lbw by Beals (1-35) for a well-made 64. A late cameo from David Miller (16) helped Poole to their final score of 165, with Mitchell and Adam Hoyes (1-48) taking late wickets to help bowl their opponents out in the 45th and final over.

John Wilson and Haylock opened for the hosts and were able to score at a decent rate from the outset. Wilson was one of many batters to play the ball back onto his stumps through the day, inside edging Henri Abel (1-28) back onto the pegs to end the opening stand of 22 runs.

Fresh from his five-wicket haul Walton did not hold back, punishing any bowler who dared overpitch with lofted drives down the ground. He played this shot to perfection to the openers, but it would be his downfall against first-change seamer Joe Wilson (1-43), holing out to Lutman for a well-made 31.

Webb was put under plenty of dot-ball pressure when he came to the crease, but he worked his way through some accurate bowling of Wilson and Davidson.

Webb was on 24 when he lost his partner Haylock (27) to new bowler Daniel Winwood straight after drinks and kicked on to put the match into his team’s favour.

When Winwood (3-23) trapped him lbw he had hit five fours and four sixes to put his team within 21 runs of victory, and despite losing Connor Wills off the following ball, Weymouth came home strong through Womble (22no) and Jack Sapsworth (7no) to secure their fifth win of the season.

Weymouth skipper Beals spoke to Echosport following the match.

“That was the most complete performance of the season. The bowling was superb, especially Neil. He’s just unplayable at the moment, I’m just going to sit back and enjoy it,” Beals said.

“Special mention to his first five-wicket haul. He’s been desperate for it for a long time. The relief on his face after the fifth was like a kid in a candy store.

“It was really good captaincy to bring him on and look to take wickets. He got two, made me look like a genius.”

On Weymouth’s batting, Beals added: “I’ve been crying out for a Phil Salt figure that goes hard. Dom rather quickly took the game away from Poole, whereas other batters in the team would try and take it deep, which is not the approach I want to take.”

Weymouth Seconds also took on Poole over the weekend, recording a 36-run win over their fourth XI, set up by 66 from Cube Whyte and the bowling of Evan Green (3-23), Whyte (3-36) and Graham Puckett (1-8).

Weymouth take on Beaminster at home in round nine.

Dorset Trade Skills man of the match: Neil Walton.