DORSET 105 lost to CORNWALL 117 by 12 runs

DORSET captain Chris Park was left highly frustrated after a monumental middle-order collapse played a huge part in his side’s 12-run defeat to Cornwall at Dean Park.

Having chosen to bat first, Cornwall were put in a spin by Dorset’s Tom Hicks, who claimed 6-30 from his 10 overs backed up by Sam Thomson’s 2-27, as the visitors were bowled out for a modest 117 from just more than 35 overs.

After Jake Lintott had got the Dorset innings off to a flyer in reply with 39 from 27 balls, the home side went from 46-1 to 50-6 in bizarre fashion, leaving the lower order to try and scrape over the line.

But the task proved too much and Dorset were left to succumb to defeat in their opening Unicorns Knockout Trophy encounter of the campaign.

Speaking about the contest, Park told Echosport: “Hicksy and Thommo pulled the game in our favour and bowled brilliantly in 20 overs between them.

“But our batting performance, under pressure, just wasn’t good enough.

“There was a monumental collapse and that just cannot happen in Minor Counties Cricket.

“Whether there was an over confidence or a belief that the game was already won I don’t know.

“Apart from Jake who got us off to a good start at the top of the order, all the specialist batsmen in the side just didn’t value their wicket as highly as they should have done.

“We played on a used wicket but that was our choice.

“We asked to play on the same pitch because it was a good pitch last weekend but, with the weather we had, it just got too dry and spun from ball one.”

Dorset will now turn their attentions to their next group clash at Wiltshire next Sunday (11am).