SKIPPER Ron Barker piloted Swanage to back-to-back victories before setting his sights on a top-three finish in Division One.

Swanage followed up their crushing nine-wicket win over Parley with another emphatic triumph to see off struggling Bournemouth.

In pursuit of Bournemouth’s 183, Swanage romped home for the loss of just three wickets with more than eight overs in hand to propel themselves into third.

Barker told the Daily Echo: “We finished fourth last year and our aim is to stay in the top three.

“We have got the players to win the title but know we will have to perform consistently well week in, week out.”

Openers Ryan Scott (36) and Pete Smith (24) put on 69 as Bournemouth made a promising start before Alex Kennedy (40) continued the good work.

But although Kennedy provided stubborn resistance, wickets continued to tumble at the other end as Bournemouth collapsed from 151 for three to 183.

“They were strolling along and didn’t seem to be in any real trouble,” said Barker. “We thought they were going to get around 220 but we managed to peg them back to 183.”

Ian Booth (4-34), Ben Baczala (3-42) and Ricky King (2-27) were among the wickets for Swanage, while Barker (1-47) claimed the scalp of in-form Smith.

In reply, Swanage shrugged off the early loss of opener Mike Salmon with Dorset under-21 star Matt Thomas (34) hitting seven fours during his 45-ball stay.

Booth (51) and Baczala (47) then came together with the score on 70, their unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 114 seeing Swanage home.

• Henstridge heaped more misery on Parley by climbing to the summit following an impressive four-wicket victory over their title rivals.

Parley’s second defeat on the bounce saw them slip from second to sixth after Henstridge had passed their 134 with relative ease.

Only skipper Robbie Gunn (68) managed to master the Henstridge attack before Ollie Green (2-14) bowled a tidy line as the hosts reached 138 for six.

• Cranborne were sent spinning to their first defeat of the season, the leaders toppled from pole position following a 36-run reverse at the hands of Ferndown Wayfarers.

Roshan Embalagama (45) held together the Ferndown innings, although Phil Park (5-58) and his merry men must have fancied their chances of chasing a modest 161.

However, although Charlie Arnold (40) stuck to the task, his club-mates faltered as Robbie Stammas (4-45) and Kevin Forrest (4-44) reduced them to 125.

• St Georges (181-5) registered a five-wicket victory over Shillingstone (179) to move second.