SKIPPER Ryan Norman believes his Swanage team’s passion is the key factor behind their superb start to the season.

The Day’s Park side stormed to a nine-wicket win over lowly Shillingstone in the Dorset Funeral Plan League, extending to four wins out of four their flying run.

Swans top the embryonic Premier League standings and Norman was delighted by another strong display from his team.

He told the Daily Echo: “Another strong bowling and fielding performance gave our batsmen a small total to get.

“Good batting from John (Lewis) and Francis (Kerins) saw us through what could have been a tricky 30-minute period before tea.

“After the break, Francis and Ian (Booth) batted fluently to complete a comfortable run chase.

“As a team we are loving our cricket and the results are showing this.”

Swanage won the toss and elected to bowl first. The visitors were soon put under pressure by Rob Hatchard and Norman and this intensity was maintained by Booth, Steve Kent and Mike Nash.

However, the standout performer for the fourth game in a row was Pete Richards, the leading wicket-taker in the league.

He delivered a masterclass of swing bowling to claim his second four-wicket haul of the season and help skittle the visitors for 126.

In reply, Swanage got off to a solid start as Lewis and Kerins put on 38 for the first wicket.

When Lewis fell for 11, Kerins was joined by Booth, who finished unbeaten on 59. Kerins also played superbly, ending on 44 not out.

Wimborne & Colehill are still breathing down Swanage's necks at the top of the table following a crushing 146-run success at Martinstown.

Tom Caines was the architect of the Minstermen's victory, the off-spinner reducing the home team's batting to rubble by claiming a seven-wicket haul from his 10 overs.

Martinstown's pursuit of a tricky target of 256 began promisingly, with opening pair Ed Nichols and Sean Williams steadily moving the score on to 54 without loss.

But Nichols (29) became Caines's first victim moments after Williams (17) had been caught behind off the bowling of Ed Bartlett. Caines (7-33) then took charge, with the hosts unable to pick his off-breaks and subsiding to 88 for seven.

Defiant number eight Matt Camp bludgeoned 27 off 17 balls to afford Martinstown's reply a modicum of respectability but they were ultimately shot out in fewer than 29 overs.

Colin Randall and Mark House had shared a terrific 117-run second-wicket stand to lay the foundations for Wimborne & Colehill's imposing 255 for six from 50 overs.

Randall's dismissal for 76 sparked a flurry of wickets and when House went for a patient 53, the visitors were wobbling on 180 for five.

But Caines preceded his heroics with the ball by crafting a valuable 23 in the middle order and skipper James Miller blasted 39 off 32 balls to repair the damage.

Wimborne & Colehill are second in the table, 11 points adrift of pacesetters Swanage.

Elsewhere, Shroton opening bowler Ryan Doble cut Broadstone’s batting to ribbons as the home team lost their final eight wickets for 81 runs – and suffered defeat for the first time this season.

Opener Luke Carter (38), Daniel Cook (37) and Danny Hammett (16) were the only Broadstone batsmen to pass double figures as Doble returned a staggering six for 11 from fewer than 10 overs, to propel Shroton to a thumping 155-run victory.

The visitors had recovered from being two wickets down with only five runs on the board to post a mammoth 301 for seven, with middle-order trio Keiron Dunseith (51), Darren Ball (66) and Ryan Boardwell (52*) all passing 50.

Sherborne opener Emlyn Kuhn struck a match-winning century in his side’s 19-run victory over Poole Town. Marc Lock, with 23, was the hosts’ next highest scorer, as Poole were set 221 for victory.

They fell 19 runs short of their target, despite number six Tom Robinson weighing in with 71. When Robinson was bowled by Andrew Nurton (3-49), the home team took control and Tim Durston (4-24) removed Poole Town’s final three batsmen for a combined total of one run.