BROADSTONE skipper Greg Parsons saw Poole Town regain the bragging rights before magnanimously heaping praise on match-winners Nick Evans and Dave Miller.

Third-placed Poole Town avenged a narrow defeat at the hands of their neighbours in May and kept alive their title hopes thanks to a six-wicket victory at The Delph.

Bournemouth University student Evans and Poole stalwart Miller came together to stabilise the visitors after Broadstone had made early inroads by reducing them to 48 for four.

The pair, chasing Broadstone's 177 for nine, saw Poole Town home without further loss with Evans (85) and Miller (41) sharing an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 133 as they eased to 181 for four.

Parsons said: “Their partnership was very good. After an outstanding opening spell from Mike Holm and Steve Trembath, they were struggling but Dave and Nick batted with great composure to win them the game.

“As part of the Bournemouth University coaching team, I have seen Nick up close all through the winter and he is a very talented batsman with a steely determination about him.

"Mix that with very strong decision-making skills and high-quality stroke play and you get a top class batsman. We really needed to get him early, something the opening bowlers could not be faulted for after beating the bat numerous times.

“Dave's innings was a typical Miller innings for Poole. He has been the man over the years that can be relied upon to assess the conditions and to then bat accordingly.

"I have been playing against Dave for a number of years and this is exactly the type of innings he produces time after time.”

Rory Triniman (56) hit 10 fours and a six - and shared a third-wicket stand of 55 with James Brown - as Broadstone started promisingly.

But with Joe Wormington (3-39), Ciaran Quinn (2-40) and Joe Wilson (2-11 from 10 overs) all returning tidy figures, the hosts were grateful to contributions down the order from Mike Holm (23*) and James Rimmer (21).

And although Steve Trembath (2-35) and Holm (1-23 from 10 overs) both had some early success, Evans and Miller - who had claimed three catches and a stumping in the Broadstone innings - saw Poole Town home with more than three overs in hand.

  • Dom Clutterbuck's exploits proved in vain as Parley were sent spinning to a narrow five-run defeat by Stalbridge.

Clutterbuck (3-54) helped restrict Stalbridge to 193 for eight after Luke Condron (3-15 from nine overs) had left them reeling at 23 for four.

In a contest reduced to 46 overs a side, Stalbridge were thankful to Chris Hedges (47) and a crucial unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 63 between Simon Sweatman (33) and Andy Dike (27).

Clutterbuck (56) shared a second-wicket stand of 59 with Tom Jacques (30) and then put on 55 for the third wicket with Roshan Embalagama (31).

Parley looked handily-placed at 124 for two before Embalagama's run-out sparked a mini collapse which saw them just come up short at 188 for eight (Andy Dike, 3-56).

Meanwhile, in the basement battle, second bottom Wimborne & Colehill (184) beat cellar-dwellers Ferndown Wayfarers (85) by 99 runs.