PARLEY maintained their perfect playing record from their penultimate ball against Poole Town as Roshan Embalagama’s men endured their sternest test of the season so far.

Chasing 200 for nine at Dean Park, the runaway league leaders left it late as tail-enders Jamie Hicks and Dominic Clutterbuck edged the Premier League’s powerhouse over the winning line.

Home bowler Ollie Green (3-48) got the top dogs off to their usual flying start by clean bowling Dolphins opener Badral Alam.

Dave Robjohns (48) and Ben Skipworth (34) hit back and plun dered 86 runs for the third wicket to put a makeshift Poole side on course for a respectable total, but after that partnership dissolved, the visitors struggled to make a meaningful impression.

Dave Miller (34*) did his best to hold the innings together while Green saw off Lewis Marais and Jamie Thomas after his dismissal of the persistent Robjohns.

Parley’s chase of a modest total got off to the worst possible start when Sam Collins was skittled for five, but fellow opener Mark Morley (44) steadied the ship.

However, once Tom Jacques and Morley went, both Robbie Gunn and Embalagama were unable to register strong scores which left the hosts labouring on 95 for five.

Up stepped unlikely hero Sam Thomson (48) to fire off six boundaries and leave Parley on 177 for eight with the lower order finding the final 25 runs just in the nick of time.

The narrow defeat was all the more galling for Poole bowler Joe Wilson (2-10) who mustered seven maidens from his 10 overs.

Elsewhere, Mike Kitson’s wonderful century inspired Winton’s six-wicket success over fellow strugglers Weymouth. Ally Williams’s men put daylight between themselves and the bottom two with Kitson (112) the mainstay of a prolific partnership of 167 runs alongside Charlie May (51) as Winton racked up 240 for four.

Weymouth had registered 239 for seven off their 50 overs with Dean Janaway (63) and Jim Ryall (55) putting on 95 for the fifth wicket.

In-form Broadstone completed their third straight league win with a 90 run success at Stalbridge. After setting a target of 208, the visitors bowled their hosts out for a meagre 118.