Walbridge is upbeat for Dorset (From Dorset Echo)

Walbridge is upbeat for Dorset

8:40am Saturday 27th August 2011 in Cricket By Ky Capel

DESPITE failing to retain their Minor Counties Championship crown, Dorset boss Sean Walbridge felt the 2011 campaign yielded sufficient reasons to remain cheerful.

Last year’s champions finished just seventh, out of 10, in this summer’s Western Division table, after picking up only one from six outings.

However, three of those were draws, meaning Walbridge’s men suffered defeat on only two occasions.

And with a host of fine individual performances to look back on, including skipper Tom Hicks snaring his 200th championship wicket for the county, Dorset’s team manager refused to be downbeat.

He said: “Looking at the results and where have finished in the table it’s disappointing as we weren’t able to retain our title, but you have to look for crumbs of encouragement and those are that we will be a better side next year due to the experience gained this year.

“We have been able to blood one or two younger players towards the end of the season but we have never really had a settled side – we always seem to be chopping and changing.

“If we can get a more settled side out next season and hopefully get on a roll, anything can happen. We brought new players in like Mark Wolstenholme and James Hayman and they will be better for the experience this year. I was also pleased to see Tom Jacques and Masoor Khan, two local players, establish themselves in the side.

“Darren Cowley has really returned form, which is great to see, and Nick Park showed in the game against Corn-wall this past week just how much we missed him. He is Mr Consistent and one of the leading batsmen in Minor Counties cricket.

“Tom Hicks just goes from strength to strength. He is still a great leader and captain, and he will be leading the side next year I’m sure.

“Everyone will get a deserved break now and we will start sessions in the New Year. However, the planning starts now as we are always looking at ways to improve.”

Dorset’s final fixture of the season – at home to Cornwall – was perfectly poised before Tuesday’s downpour forced both sides to settle for a draw. Walbridge added: “It was a shame as the game was set up for an exciting finish.

“We needed six wickets and they needed 110 runs so it would have been a grandstand finish to the season. But we can’t do anything about the weather unfortunately.

“We have shown in the last two games signs of coming back to form, so it would have been nice to have finished the season on a high.”