WITH their season opener against a Dorset Leopards XI washed out at Dean Park today, county skipper Chris Park will get the first glimpses of his side in action against Wiltshire on Easter Monday.

Dorset, whose form was reignited over the latter stages of last summer, will travel to Calne CC to take on a side that convincingly had their number last term.

But buoyed by the signing of star run-getter Chris Jones, Park is eager to get his side’s pre-season off on the right note.

He told Echosport: “It may be the first time some of us have hit a ball on a grass wicket this year so it will be good to blow off some of the cobwebs.

“I’d like to start the season well against Wiltshire because we played them three times last year and lost fairly heavily in all three.”

Wiltshire could also name former Hampshire star Michael Bates in their ranks after he was released from the Ageas Bowl at the end of last season.

And Park also revealed there was interest to make the keeper-batsman a Dorset player for the upcoming campaign.

He added: “We were speaking to Batesy back in December and January, but budgets and things like that were obviously restricted.

“He has decided to play for Wiltshire and good luck to him, he is a quality player and deserves to be playing first-class cricket.”

Dorset’s Luke Webb is likely to miss out over the next few weeks, but the batsman has a reasonable excuse.

He is part of the current Oxford MCCU side taking on Worcestershire in a pre-season outing, and second top-scored with 23 in the first innings.