A LOCAL derby between Dorchester and Martinstown kicks off the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League campaign tomorrow, as the two sides lock horns at the Rec (3pm).

Both captains, Dorchester’s Simon Mitchem and Martinstown’s Ed Nichols, helped the league’s representative XI to a shock win over a strong Dorset Leopards outfit at Wimborne last Saturday.

But, despite being team-mates just a week ago, the two skippers will do battle against one another in their domestic season opener, as both clubs look to get their respective league campaigns off to a strong start.

Home captain Mitchem told Echosport: “It has come around really quickly and I am sure everyone is keen to play and get going again.

“Hopefully, we can get off to a good start. We are just looking to finish as high as we can.”

He added: “Experience counts for a lot in the league, we are all another year older and have been around the block a bit more. Hopefully we can start being a bit more consistent in some areas, which let us down last year.

“You can’t rely on the same people all the time and the aim is to get people consistently scoring runs and taking wickets.

“We have got a good bunch of guys who want to play and want to be competitive, which does always help.”

Mitchem revealed that overseas star Bharat Popli “may play a couple of games” having travelled to the UK this summer, but he is not expected to feature for the county town side this weekend.

And on the clash with Martinstown, he insists that the away side deserve a lot of credit for their progression as a club.

“Since they have come up to the league they have consolidated their place in it and deserve to be there,” the county town captain added.

“I think Ed himself has done very well, he is a very good bat and he has scored a lot of runs for them.

“They are definitely a very able team and it will be a good, competitive game.”

Dan Belt, Will McKay, Josh Richardson and Jack Walklett are all set to feature for Dorchester this weekend.

Nichols is hoping that Martinstown can showcase some of the club’s talented youngsters throughout the campaign this term, as products of their flourishing youth set-up are set to make the step up.

He said: “We have a couple of young lads making their breakthrough this year.

“Our club is based on our youth system and every year that ticks on, hopefully we should naturally improve, and that should be the case this year.

“It shows real pride for the club to see these young lads coming through.

“There are plenty more that will also be making an impact in the seconds this year, and potentially the firsts come the end of the season.”

One youngster that Nichols is keen to see more of is top-order batsman Sean Williams.

The 15-year-old scored 83 in the club’s 11-run win over Southampton University in a friendly at Lower Ashton Farm last month.

The skipper is also hoping that seamer Nathan McNab can offer some useful overs when required.

Commenting on their season opener against Dorchester, Nichols, who, along with Mitchem, has attended winter nets with the Dorset set-up during the off season, said: “It’s a nice local game, if that doesn’t get you competitive and ready for the start of the season then nothing is going to. I am looking forward to it.”

Sam Kershaw is expected to feature more frequently for Martinstown throughout this season, as is Matt Camp.

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