New Blackmore Vale, August 20, 2021
Sport
Sherborne aim to finish in top three Dorset Premier Cricket League, August 13 Christchurch 213 Sherborne 265-5 Sherborne (20pts) bt Christchurch (7pts) by 52 runs The top four teams in the league all won last weekend, including Sherborne’s convincing win over bottom side Christchurch. Opener Marc Roca (92) top scored for Sherborne but the first four batsmen all contributed, with the score at one stage 239-2. Luke Hancock was 59 not out as Sherborne posted 2655 off 45 overs. In response, Christchurch were quickly in trouble at 83-5. Tom Hughes contributed 59 but the home team ran out of wickets and subsided with five overs remaining. Pick of the bowlers were Roger Parfitt (4-40) and Andy Nurton (332). The result leaves Sherborne in fourth, 22 points behind Martinstown in third with a game in hand and two weekends to go. Sherborne play Poole tomorrow, who are second and favourites to take the title. Division One Puddletown 184 Marnhull 185-4 Marnhull (20pts) bt Puddletown (7pts) by six wickets Marnhull struck a blow to Puddletown’s title hopes with a third win in a row. Puddletown, having lost just one game in 14, have now lost two in a row and saw their lead at the top cut to 32 points with two to play – and having to face second-placed Swanage tomorrow. The
TEAM SPIRIT: Blandford’s Max Leigh, Wilf Leigh and Stephen Quine
Blandford back in the swim Blandford Flyers Swimming Club has returned to the pool for competitive swimming. Unfortunately no audiences were allowed into Millfield swim centre to watch three swimmers compete against 56 other clubs from across the region, but that did not hinder them from putting in impressive performances and achieve a host of new
personal best times. In addition to their individual race achievements, all gained Top Three rankings in their respective age groups (Stephen Quine third in the u16 category, Max Leigh first u15, Wilf Leigh second u12), with Max also coming third overall across all age groups, crowning off a great weekend of
swimming. More events are planned and hopefully audiences will soon be able to see the swimmers in action. If your child(ren) want to be involved, please visit blandfordflyers.co.uk – we’re a friendly club that welcomes all standards of youth swimmer from Learn-to-Swim Level 7 upwards. Jon Creffield
victory sees Marnhull climb to sixth. In other games in the division, Stalbridge beat bottom club Beaminster by eight wickets to climb to third place in the table while Sherborne-based Compton House stay second to bottom after defeat at Swanage.
Not one Parley batsman made double figures as Blandford thrashed their rivals to stay top of the league and in line for promotion. Ryan Boardwell took 4-6 and Robert Harding 4-12 as Parley were scuttled in just 18 overs: Ryan White took the other two wickets for 10 runs. It was an emphatic response after Blandford themselves struggled for runs, subsiding to 103 all out in 30 overs.
Ron Wates top scored with 24. Blandford are 11 points clear of Poole Town 2nds at the top with two games to go. Blandford travel to thirdplaced Wimborne 2nds tomorrow, while Poole play Shillingstone, who are in fourth place. Shillingstone lost to Wimborne last weekend, falling just 10 runs short of their target after Hugo Hartley took 5-42 to put Wimborne under pressure.
Division Two Blandford 103 Parley 2nds 32 Blandford (17pts) bt Parley (5pts) by 71 runs
73
