POOLE 189-9 (18pts) beat MARTINSTOWN 153 (6pts) by 21 runs (reduced target 175)

SKIPPER Ed Nichols remained upbeat about his side’s display despite Martinstown squandering the chance to see off defending league champions Poole.

After putting the hosts in on a tricky surface, the Lower Ashton Farm outfit worked tirelessly to restrict their hosts to 189-9 with Matt Camp picking up three wickets.

With rain around at the interval, Martinstown’s chase was reduced to 175 from 42 overs, and the visiting captain thought his side were firmly in the box seat when Camp and Tom Nicholls put on a solid stand to set the game up.

Nichols told Echosport: “Most of our top order got starts and didn’t really go on but, at one point, we got ourselves into a position where we should have won it.

“We were just four down needing around 40 to win at three runs an over.”

But despite providing Poole with a scare, Martinstown eventually collapsed and surrendered their remaining wickets 22 runs short of their target. Joey Wilson claimed 4-37 for Poole.

Describing the clash as a whole, Nichols added: “We definitely competed, it was just a shame we couldn’t get over the line.

“Once that partnership was broken we collapsed and didn’t really threaten the target in the end.

“We had no doubt in putting them in. Chris Read bowled really well and got a lot out of the pitch to put some pressure on them.”

The result sees Martinstown, who are now expected to be without Dave Herbert and Liam Banfield through injury, slip to eighth in the Premier League table.

However, they still a comfortable advantage over Dorchester, who they meet on Saturday (1pm).