DORSET will grace Dorchester Rec for the second time in a year as NCCA Trophy cricket returns to the county town, with Buckinghamshire the visitors tomorrow (11am).

Dorchester hosted Dorset’s NCCA Trophy defeat to Devon last season in a contest blighted by numerous rain delays before a gripping finish.

Dorset champions Dorchester are now hosting the county team again in the same week the development side also turned out at the Rec, albeit with rain putting paid to their clash with MCC South.

Luke Webb’s men lost their Group Four opener to Wiltshire, but the Bournemouth batter believes winning all three remaining games should be sufficient to qualify for the next stage.

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He told Echosport: “It’s exciting. We played at Dorchester last year which ended up being a thriller.

“Hopefully we come out on the right side of it this time and the weather’s better.

“But Dorchester are great hosts and I know they hosted our development team as well.

“I’m really looking forward to playing at Dorchester in the county town and hopefully we’ll get plenty of people down to watch, a really good wicket and a good advert for the club as well.”

He added: “The top two qualify out of the group. We’ve got three games left so it’s in our hands. If we were to win three out of three then that should get you through to the knockout stages.

“It’s a great opportunity to put a few wrongs right from the loss against Wiltshire and get ourselves on the board in that group.”

Asked if he felt Dorset need to win all three games to guarantee qualification, Webb replied: “Last season we won two and lost two – we lost out on run rate.

“If you win half you’re relying on net run rate which is beyond your control to a certain extent.

“Three wins would probably guarantee it. I don’t know the maths exactly but three out of four should guarantee you.

“It would be nice to win three out of three, but you can’t look much beyond (tomorrow).”

Meanwhile, Dorchester have decided to tone down the activities on offer at the Rec this time round, preferring instead to concentrate on the cricket itself.

No stalls will be dotted around the ground, to which admission is free, but the refurbished clubhouse bar will provide refreshments.

Dorchester chairman Mark Derrien is proudly looking forward to welcoming the county side to the Rec once more.

He said: “It’s a massive occasion and it’s a real badge of honour that they’ve chosen to come back.

“Having them there the first year was nice but to impress them enough for year two is a real feather in our cap – we’re delighted.

“When I reflect on last year, while it was a great day, the weather ruined it a bit.

“There were five or six rain delays, lunch was rushed and every time people got into the swing of it and there was a bit of atmosphere the rain came and everyone dashed to their cars.

“It never really got to a climax, even though it was a great game in the end. People had gone because of the weather.

“This year we’re hoping for a much smoother day and to get a full day’s cricket in.”

Derrien also thanked first-team opener and groundsman Jim Ryall for his hard work preparing the pitch.

“Jim has transformed the Rec over the last four seasons,” he said.

“He spends hours at the ground and this fixture is testament to his skill and hard work. We are so proud of what he was achieved.”

Dorset make three changes, with seamers Brad Currie and Ben Ladd Gibbon returning at the expense of Ollie Breckon and Ben Fletcher.

Felix Organ is on Hampshire duty but academy teammate Joe Eckland fills in.

Dorset: Soames, Young, Webb, A Eckland, J Eckland, Broderick, Gordon, Woodruff, Pack, B Currie, Ladd Gibbon.