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Desperate Dan in derby race
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| D-DAY: Former Weymouth star Dan Belt faces his old club, if he can prove his fitness, when Dorchester head to Redlands on Saturday |
DAN Belt is hopeful he will be fit for the Dorset Premier League showdown between Dorchester and Weymouth this Saturday, claiming he will do "anything to play" despite picking up a thigh strain last week.
The all-rounder missed Dorchester's 21-run defeat at Suttoners last Saturday and Dorset's three-wicket loss against Cambridgeshire on Sunday after sustaining the injury while playing for Martinstown in the Dorchester Evening League last Thursday.
However, Belt is determined to feature against his former side when the two rivals go toe-to-toe at Redlands.
He said: "I want to play on Saturday but I've just got to take each day as it comes and see how it is on Saturday. I feel I've got an 80 per cent chance but I can't really run much at the moment.
"I sustained the injury by playing for a single and I just felt it ping. I'm resting it and have spoken to Steve Gerety about it because he specialises in this sort of thing.
"Hopefully it will be a quick recovery but sometimes you never know. This will be my first game for Dorchester against Weymouth and fingers crossed I'll make it because I'll do anything to play."
Asked if he fears the wrath of Dorset manager Sean Walbridge should he play, Belt added: "It all depends on whether I make the injury worse, if so then I have got to expect it, however, I'm sure they can understand why I want to play. I will though see how he feels at the end of the week."
Meanwhile, Walbridge doubts Belt will be back in action for a fortnight and has warned him he must "manage his body better" if he is to continue to make his mark at Minor Counties level.
Walbridge said: "I would imagine Dan will be out for at least a couple of weeks. It's very frustrating, very disappointing for him and for us.
"Quite simply, Dan has to start managing his body better, he has just spent the last 12 months out injured. If he is going to play regularly he needs to do the proper warm ups and warm downs.
"That would enable him to put a consistent number of games behind him because we know he can do a good job when he is fully fit.
"Dan, when fit, is a very vital member of the side and has a really big part to play. We really need him fit and Dorset cricket needs him fit.
"He is a fantastic talent and has the potential to be a really great Dorset player as an all-rounder. To do that, he has to make sure he looks after himself and his body.
"We need him playing because a fully fit Dan Belt is a big plus for the Dorset county side."
8:56am Wednesday 14th May 2008
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