DORSET Leopards’ trio Simon Mitchem, Simon Proffitt and Matt Randell all did their chances of future county selection no harm with solid displays in a seven-wicket loss to Wiltshire Seconds at Swanage.

Randell, a late call-up to the side owing to unavailability, followed up a century for Portland Red Triangle by opening the batting and scoring 17, while clubmate Proffitt matched his score and took 1-20 with the ball.

Dorchester’s Mitchem compiled 18 from 24 balls before claiming 1-38 in Wiltshire’s innings.

Speaking to Echosport, Randell was pleased to be given a chance at the top of the order.

He said: “It was a good day and a shame that we lost. It’s been a few years since I’ve opened the batting, but it was nice to be given that responsibility.

“I enjoyed it but I probably have preferred batting down the order rather than at the top.

“In the first game (against the MCC) we had to push on. Going out there with 50 overs was nice but I probably should have stayed – I got a start.”

Mitchem, meanwhile, relished the opportunity to test himself against a county second string.

He said: “It was a good, competitive game – Wiltshire brought down a very strong team.

“It’s always good to test yourself against better players. Despite the result I enjoyed the occasion.

“Every game you learn something and as a team we learned that 30s and 40s don’t win you games. We really needed a couple of players to score more.

“One of their guys ground it out and scored 60. We needed someone to do that and unfortunately we couldn’t do it.”

He added: “It was quite a difficult pitch to bowl on. I bowled OK and I thought Simon bowled a really decent spell.

“It’s nice to see Matt and Si contribute with the bat as well. Overall we didn’t let ourselves down, we just didn’t score enough runs.”

Wiltshire won the toss and elected to field

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first, but found openers Tom Arnold and Randell in good form until Josh Langley (2-40) removed both men.

Josh McCoy (35) and Simon Woodruff (30) rebuilt from 65-2 but Oliver Lavis (1-25) removed the former.

James Wade (2-37) then accounted for George Wilson (11) and the wicket of Woodruff, which sparked a collapse in the Leopards’ ranks.

From 147-4, the hosts lost their next six wickets for 36 runs, with only Proffitt and Mitchem reaching double figures in a total of 183 all out.

Wiltshire started positively in their response, racing to 85-0 as Jack Haines coasted to 40 off 51 balls, hitting seven fours and a six before offering a catch to Randell off the bowling of Mitchem.

Proffitt then weighed in by bowling Wiltshire first-teamer David Cope (2) as the Leopards checked their opponents at 94-2.

But Dorset could not oust Jack Twine (68), who diligently scored the only half-century of the game before perishing to Leopards’ captain James Hayman (1-29) with 24 runs still required.

Wiltshire’s chase was in safe hands with Jack Stearman however, the visitors’ number four smashing an unbeaten 40 from 34 balls, including six fours and a six, to steer his side home with 17.5 overs remaining.