Portland Red Triangle beat Beaminster by 68 runs

PORTLAND Red Triangle plundered 321, including a century by skipper Matt Randell, to dismiss Beaminster by 68 runs in County Division One.

Chris Park’s men were punished for a poor bowling display in which they conceded 50 extras, in part due to the huge pressure exerted on them by the aggressive Triangle order.

Park won the toss and elected to field, aiming to make the most of humid conditions at Reforne.

However, Callan Laws opened his shoulders at the top of the order despite wickets for Ollie Bareham (2-61) and Nick Hollely (2-54).

READ MORE: Beaminster beat Hamworthy Recreation by six wickets

Portland were 58-2 but Laws joined forces with Randell for a century stand as the duo carted the ball to all parts.

Laws looked on course for a century until he offered a catch to Ross Baker off leg-spinner Bareham for a run-a-ball 78, comprised of ten fours and two sixes.

Callan Laws scored 78 from 78 balls for Portland (Image: IDRIS MARTIN)

Randell by this time was already on 43 and he played the anchor role while Khylo Farley teed off with six fours in his 26 from 16 balls.

Randell moved to his half-century before Hollely had Farley caught behind, but the onslaught continued as Joe Adkins crashed 34 from 32 balls, 22 runs coming in boundaries.

He shared 91 with Randell, who moved into the nineties before the part-time bowling of Ben Golledge (1-14) castled Adkins.

The second half of Randell’s century proved slower than the first but he got over the line to rapturous applause from his teammates and finished unbeaten on 112.

His innings lasted 115 balls and featured 17 fours and a six as Portland charged above seven-per-over, ending on 321-5.

In reply, Beaminster were always in the game and started briskly after Rich Runyard survived an early caught behind appeal.

He went on to make 52 in quick time, before he was bowled by James Potts (3-31) having crunched 11 fours and a six in his 34-ball cameo.

Potts also dismissed Will Moss (15) and Dan Hillier (0), while Randell (4-23) bowled Golledge (17) as Beaminster reached 102-4.

However, Beaminster then started to worry Portland as Adam Moss struck a sublime 70 from 60 balls and Park smashed 57 from 46, including four maximums.

Adam Moss scored 70 in Beaminster's reply (Image: BRIAN ROSSITER)

Triangle needed a breakthrough and got it when Randell removed Moss, before off-spinner Jack Marsh (1-65) ousted Park.

They proved the crucial wickets as Eddie Moles (2-34) returned to bowl Baker (20) and Bareham (6) before Randell mopped up the tail.

Speaking to the Bridport News, Park said: “In hindsight, I probably should’ve batted first. I was pretty confident we could bowl them out and chase down whatever they set us.

“I didn’t think we would be chasing 321. We struggled with the ball and could not find any consistency. We really did look toothless and didn’t have any answer to Randell.

“The one bowler who bowled well was Ross, who generally always bowls well. They saw him off and went after everything else.”

And Beaminster will now renew rivalries with Chalke Valley at the Memorial Ground on Saturday (1pm), having pipped Chalke to the Division Two title in 2022.

“I think they’ll want to beat us because they probably know they were the better team last year,” Park confessed.

“They proved it by the way they beat pretty much everyone. I’m sure they’ll want to give us a hiding but we want to do the same to them, so it’ll make for a good game.”

Brad Damen (back) is out for eight weeks, while Paul Edwards and Dan Hillier make way for Henry Hansford-Harvey and Simon Jones.

Beaminster: Runyard, W Moss, Golledge, Hillier, A Moss, Park, Baker, Bareham, Fry, Hollely, Edwards.