DORSET ended day one of their NCCA Championship clash against Herefordshire with a handy score in excess of 300.

Away skipper Luke Webb won the toss and chose to bat at Eastnor – and his decision paid dividends as Dorset reached stumps on 315-9.

The middle order was key to building such a total after Herefordshire had eroded Dorset’s innings down to 99-4, Felix Organ (15), Joe Eckland (30) and Webb (35) all contributing.

Sam Young then played a typically exciting knock to chalk up the game’s first half-century, with Alex Eckland in support.

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Bath opener Young (56) brought up his 50 in 63 balls, having crunched six boundaries and two maximums, until he offered a return catch to former Worcestershire man Matt Pardoe.

Eckland (65) helped set up a late flourish for Dorset with a patient knock, going to his 50 off 126 balls while Harry Fisher took the more aggressive approach in his 58.

Fisher’s 50 came off 91 balls but both men would fall victim to David Ball (3-78) after a 78-run stand, while debutant Jasper Davidson (4-62) further restricted Dorset before the close.