CHAMPIONS Cranborne may have already been crowned but the race for the runners-up spot in Dorset Sunday Division One took an intriguing twist at the weekend.

Bournemouth came spectacularly unstuck at home to struggling Kingston Lacy, which severely jeopardises their hopes of hanging on to the second place they currently occupy.

Having seen Lacy rack up 215-7, Bournemouth's reply never got going as they surrendered to 127 all out, to lose by 88 runs.

Studland, meanwhile, in third spot capitalised on the unexpected slip-up and closed to within just eight points thanks to a crushing victory over basement boys Colehill.

Posting a mammoth 424-4 in their innings, Studland then tore into Colehill's batting line-up to dismiss them for 166 and claim a 258-run winning margin.

Those results ensure a nail-biting final to the campaign this weekend as Bournemouth host champions Cranborne at Chapel Gate, while fourth-placed Wayfarers, who are themselves within 10 points of Bournemouth, entertain Studland.

WAY CAN FARE BETTER

Wayfarers would have been in an even better position, but they were comprehensively outplayed by undefeated Cranborne.

Ryan Bishop (66) and Ryan Beck (32) were at the heart of the Cranes' 249-7, while Wayfarers' Steve Wilson was the only make to make an impression in the reply with 41 as his team succumbed to Beck (4-9) and Ginge Loader (2-14) to fall at 111 all out.

WHAT THEY SAID

Wayfarers captain Richie Haddow said: "It would mean a heck of a lot to us to finish in second place - especially as this is our first season in Division One.

"It would be a great achievement.

"We didn't perform at all against Cranborne last weekend, but they are obviously the best team in the league by some distance.

"But that shouldn't knock our confidence too badly.

If we can beat Studland, we can't do anything about the other result, but we'd be delighted if it went our way."

POOLE'S SAFETY FIRST

In Division One's other fixtures, Poole made sure of retaining their place in the Sunday elite with a five-wicket success at home to Blandford.

Simon Watkins (39 not out), Jamie Bennett (31) and Richie Armstrong (26) gave them a relatively comfortable victory as they successfully chased down Blandford's 138 all out.

Poole bowlers Paul Maddocks (3-27), Jamie Thomas (3-27) and Armstrong (2-6) restricted Blandford who only had N Baker (32) and Dan Brockway (28) to make any kind of contribution with the bat.

Parley, meanwhile, were destroyed by eight wickets at Henstridge.

After being dismissed cheaply for 107 all out, Henstridge made their target for the loss of just two wickets.