KEY player Raj Naik helped guide Parley to victory over table toppers Poole Town and then revealed his title hopes.

Naik took two wickets and struck a half-century as Parley inflicted Poole’s first defeat of the Dorset Funeral Plan Saturday Premier Division season.

In doing so, they closed the gap on the leaders and tightened their grip on the second-placed berth.

Given their fine form, senior player Naik believes Parley can climb above Poole and finish the campaign with silverware.

He told the Echo: “If we continue to play how we are playing, I think we have a more balanced side than Poole.

“David Payne coming and playing in the side and Matt Stickland joining from Bournemouth has helped a lot and it’s good to get some experienced team-mates around the side.

“If Matt is going to be with us for the rest of the season and David Payne, depending on his programme with Gloucester, if he plays for us I don’t see why we cannot win the league.”

Batting first on Saturday, Poole Town made 199 for eight, with Kristian Wilson (33), Dave Robjohns (30) and Badrul Alam (44) all contributing.

Naik (2-29), Payne (2-35) and Salman Khattak (2-51) all did a good job with the ball for Parley.

In reply, Matt Stickland (34) and Sam Collins (21) shared a 50 partnership for the opening wicket, before Naik (51) and Sam Thomson (55*) helped see Parley over the finishing line with four wickets to spare, despite the fine efforts of Steve Wilson (5-45).

  • Dorchester (242-8) hammered Wayfarers (119) by 123 runs in a one-sided contest.

Dean Elsworthy (3-57) and Ryan Wiggins (2-48) did their best with the ball, while Jason Thake (36) and Iain Griffiths (28) put up a fight with the bat.

  • Weymouth (134-3) beat struggling Suttoners (133) by seven wickets to send them back to the foot of the table.

Only Aaron Brown, who hit 33, produced a notable performance for depleted Suttoners.