Heading to Weymouth with a youthful group, the 4's were looking to turn recent positive performances in points as they travelled to Redlands to play Division 6 leaders Weymouth 2's. With a stand in skipper who had spent most of the morning deliberating inserting the home side given the overnight rain, the decision was deliberated further when looking at the pitch which had a lively looking green top, but a surface that didn't look like it would improve as the day went on. Given the strong contingent of seam up bowlers and lack of spin that would have seen the old ball become an advantage, the risky decision to ask the home team to strap on the pads was taken, with the new ball handed to youngsters Matty Williams and Flynn Rochford. The lively pair continued as they have with the new ball this season bowling tightly at Weymouth's opening bats and ensuring that runs were earned before Williams tucked up opener Andy Jarvis who played on in the ninth over with the score on 27. Lizzie Williams continued to make the batsmen earn runs when replacing the younger of the two Rochford's in the game, as the elder Rochford replaced the other Williams at the opposite end (which was fun for the scorers). Rochford Senior opened with a seed, dismissing Luke Lovett with an away swinging delivery that nipped back in off the seam and rattled middle and leg. With Lizzie keeping things tight from her end and building pressure, Rochford continued to break the stumps at the pavilion end, dismissing Quayle, Keane and Sapsworth all bowled before drinks with the home side 71/5. The discussion at drinks was lively, with wickets still needed Poole Town were keen to stay on top and keep wickets falling which Lizzie Williams duly delivered, bowling Weymouth skip Tom Reed. With Craig Rochford still running in and bowling from the other end Weymouth managed to find a partnership between Sahil Dalvi and Mark Rodgers, the former keen to work singles with the latter punishing anything loose especially from a tiring Rochford before the stand in skipper completed his 5 for in his seventh by bowling Rodgers. Credit must also be given to Sarah-Louise Matthews, who on debut bowled a wonderful 6 over spell of 0-16 and was unlucky to not have a chance go to hand despite finding the edge (and pads) a number of times. With the hosts having worked hard to push the score up to 112 for 7 Deepak Tamrakar came up trumps with a double wicket maiden, narrowly missing out a hat trick before Flynn Rochford mopped up the final wicket with a sumptuous away swinging ball that kissed the top of off stump. Weymouth's innings closing on 128. A brilliant display of bowling from Poole's youngsters, including young wicketkeeper Aleks Mouer, fully justifying the faith shown in them. The old boy didn't bowl too badly either ..........
Following a wonderful tea, Aleks Mouer and Gary Finalyson strode to the middle to start Poole's innings. Both looked to be settling in on a difficult track before Finlayson fell with the score on 21, bringing Billy Michael to the crease with Aleks falling soon after. With Deepak looking to add runs to his wickets the new pair worked hard to rotate the strike, running singles well and trying to put pressure back on to the very close ring field. Deepak fell for 10, with Sarah Matthews falling in the same over to Sahil Dalvi, Matthew getting an in dipping yorker that every bat loves to face in their first few balls. Pat Michaels came to the crease to bat with Michaels junior, the pair adding a valuable 30 runs before being caught, again off the bowling of Dalvi. Matty Williams joined is juniors team mate in the middle with the pair constantly talking and maintaining an understanding of run rate required and keen to keep it below a run a ball, Matty more than ken and capable to hit over the top of the ever tightening field being put in place by Weymouth skip Tom Reed before falling for 17 being caught in the deep and bringing Andrey Mouer to the crease to join the ever calm, grafting Billy Michael with the score 91 for 6. The pair took over the game, Andrey looking composed and mature working the ball around for singles or boundaries, with Billy continuing to work hard for runs, the batting pair with an average of of 13.5 putting on 30 runs before Billy finally fell for an extremely mature 41 runs. A wonderful innings from a young man that offers so much promise. Flynn Rochford came to the crease, forgetting his pre-innings statement of how he would "play himself in" and instead trying to send his first ball into orbit in celebration of the anniversary of the moon landing before completing the innings with a similar shot, dismissing the ball safely over the boundary to end the game. A superb game in great spirit with a man of the match performance from youngster Billy Michael, who top scored on a difficult track.
Weymouth 2's - 128ao (33.2 overs)
Dalvi - 25*
Rodgers - 21
C Rochford - 5/42
Tamrakar - 2/9
Poole Town 4's - 130/7 (33.5 overs)
B Michaels - 41
A Mouer - 18*
Dalvi - 3/27
Hunter - 2/24