DORSET skipper Chris Park was keen to stay positive when looking at his side’s overall start to the campaign, despite being walloped at the hands of Shropshire in their first three-day test of the season.

The former Dean Park side, who have topped their group in the 50-over MCCA Knockout Trophy to set up a home quarter-final against Wiltshire at North Perrott on Sunday (11am), did not perform as well in the longer, Championship format, having been comfortably beaten inside two days by 10 wickets.

Batting demons that have plagued his side in recent years in the three-day game reared their ugly head once again and Park insists it’s something the squad need to work on.

Reacting to the defeat, the wicketkeeper-batsman, whose side only managed to occupy the crease for 59.1 and 44,3 overs in their two innings, told Echosport: “Having spent the winter with Prich (Paul Prichard, coach), the one-day batting so far this year has been top drawer.

“But this goes to highlight when we haven’t got those senior players in the top order, there are batting frailties still.

“Batting 90 overs and batting for a long time is crucial in Championship cricket and, in both innings, we just didn’t look like doing that. We were disappointed that it happened in both innings.

“We kept losing clumps of wickets within the space of 10 or 15 overs, which is just not good enough really.

“It’s something that’s happened over the last couple of years and we need to put that right before the next Championship game, of course. Before then we have now got to turn our heads to the one-day game this weekend really.

“We will move on quickly to this Sunday and I don’t want the season’s bubble to burst.

“We want to remain positive for this weekend’s game against Wiltshire.”

While his side as a collective failed to fire, Park was impressed with the Championship debuts of opener Tom Arnold and spinner Rob Pack.

He added: “Tom Arnold, on his debut, got a good 63 in the first innings and he actually looked really good in the second innings to score 30.

“He was nicknamed ‘Mr Cricket’ because he was very intense and enjoyed his fielding. He settled in really well.

“He had a little bit of luck in the first morning with a couple of edges that went through gully, but he played some lovely shots, showed some good concentration levels and I think he will be disappointed that in both innings that he gave his wicket away very cheaply.

“Rob Pack bowled beautifully for 25 overs as well and to be able to rely on an 18-year-old spinner to bowl economically and look threatening was a real bonus in that respect.

Park said: “Losing over two days of cricket is hard work, there is a lot of effort and travelling that goes into it.

“We do need to bounce back this weekend but I believe in the lads and come Sunday morning when we are in the warm-up they will be back to their energetic selves.”