WIMBORNE & Colehill skipper James Miller believes Mark House's defiant knock could prove the difference between title glory and a trophy-less season.

The Dorset League leaders were struggling on 54 for six at Sherborne until House and Grant Cormack rebuilt the innings, the former eventually finishing on 91.

Chasing 183, the hosts were dismissed for 129 to hand Wimborne a crucial 54-run victory, leaving Miller delighted.

He said: "Winning the toss and choosing to bat was a big risk and I was beginning to worry when we were 54 for six but Mark played out of his skin.

"His knock could be the difference between winning the league and not.

"There are no easy games in the league so we have to make sure we continue to play our best cricket over the next six weeks. "

Wimborne got off to a poor start with openers Colin Randall and David Guest departing cheaply to leave the visitors on 21 for two.

House and Simon Woodruff began to rebuild the innings until a flourish of wickets dealt a heavy body blow.

Woodruff was the first to go when he was trapped leg before, followed quickly by scoreless trio Tom Caines, Joe Weld and Miller as Wimborne struggled to 54 for six.

House and Cormack then put together an outstanding partnership of 82 which handed Wimborne the initiative.

Cormack finally fell for 33 but Rob Hatchard supported House expertly as gaps in the outfield began to appear.

House fell in the last over and Wimborne finished on 183 for nine.

Woodruff got Wimborne off to a flier with the ball as he tore into the Sherborne batting with four wickets in as many overs, finishing with four for 15.

Ed Bartlett also got in on the act, putting Sherborne on the ropes at 59 for seven.

Spinner Tom Caines was introduced and bagged a couple of wickets as the home side stumbled to 67 for nine.

A last-wicket stand of 62 had Wimborne temporarily worried but in the end they were comfortable victors.

Wimborne have secured three league wins out of three in July, a record consistent with their form of the previous month in which they were awarded the Dorset League team-of-the-month award.

The Leaze outfit secured four wins and maximum points in June and Miller put the success down to big-hitting batsmen and clever work from the spinners.

He said: “We score heavily and then rely on the spinners to squeeze out the opposition.

“Our top four of Simon Woodruff, Colin Randall, Mark House and Tom Caines have scored heavily.

“Our spinners, including Tom Caines, Harry Beardsley, George Bartlett and Joe Weld, have been excellent.

"The Leaze isn’t particularly spin-friendly but they use guile and variations in pace to take wickets.

“At the start of the season we weren’t sure how it was going to go but it’s been a great season so far.”