Dorset Seconds beat MCC South by 12 runs at Dorchester

DORSET Seconds edged a thriller with MCC South by 12 runs at Dorchester Rec.

A high-quality encounter saw 540 runs plundered in ideal batting conditions, two weeks before Dorchester hosts Dorset’s home NCCA Trophy match against Wiltshire.

The match was also umpired by former England Test bowler Richard Ellison, taker of a ten-wicket haul against Australia in the 1985 fifth Ashes Test.

Former England Test bowler Richard Ellison, right, umpired the game at Dorchester (Image: TIM ROGERS)

And there was Dorchester representation on show in the form of club skipper Jon Legg, a mainstay in the Dorset Seconds side this season.

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Showing the depth in quality of Dorset’s squad, Legg’s status as number 11 batter was a far cry from his opener role with Dorchester in the Dorset Premier League.

Dorset certainly made the most of their capabilities after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

Two early wickets for Liam Turnball (2-48) put the MCC on top but Dorset soon wrestled back control with the progress of Lucas Del Bianco and Lewis Freak.

The duo are both on the fringes of Dorset’s first team and underlined their credentials by making 46 and 38 respectively.

Ben Chaffey (38) continued the scoring but the sole half-century of the innings, coming off just 55 balls, came from Fred Boger (51).

Although none of the quartet kicked on for a century, Dorset’s tail wagged with quick late contributions from Sam Rook (11), Ed Rimmer (14no) and Archie Frost (15no).

They set the MCC a victory target of 277 which always looked achievable as they set off at a decent lick.

Parley all-rounder Rook (2-28) made the double breakthrough, trapping both Tom Morton (22) and Vedanta Gadia (4) lbw as the MCC reached 54-2 in the tenth over.

Ben Coddington (37 off 40 balls) had done the majority of the MCC’s scoring but he was bowled by Legg (1-42) as Dorset reduced their opponents to 67-3.

Dorchester's Jon Legg took 1-42 for Dorset Seconds (Image: TIM ROGERS)

However, the MCC then smashed 86 in 13 overs courtesy of James Hayward (31) and Chris Pratt (64) to give themselves the upper hand.

Although Freak (2-49) dismissed Hayward, Pratt was particularly impressive and exhibited expert timing with crisp hitting out of the middle of his bat echoing around the Rec.

He put the MCC in the box seat as they required only 86 from 16 overs but soon perished thanks to a clever piece of bowling by spinner Del Bianco (3-37).

Pratt looked to advance on the attack and Del Bianco dragged back his length and jagged a sharp-turning delivery down the leg-side, enabling Ben Rogers to complete the stumping.

Despite losing two set batters, the MCC were marginal favourites at 222-6 with nine overs left but the pressure eventually told as Del Bianco and Chaffey (2-40) chipped away.

In the end, Dorset’s death bowling was too good as the MCC ran out of batters and succumbed to a narrow victory.

Dorset team boss Ben Skipworth told Echosport: “Some of the guys who are pushing for first-team places have come good at the right moment in that game.

“At 100-3 we felt the game was in the balance and they’ve executed the basic skills really well and won a game from nothing.

“We always know it spins a little bit here and the plan was to keep spinners in a place where they would be effective.

“Our seamers managed to bring the ball back into the stumps, the basic skills well executed.”

Dorset Seconds appear to have given the first-team selectors a headache, Skipworth adding: “It is at the moment, definitely.

“We’ve got four players in that side who are going to be in and around the first team this year, probably in the red ball side most likely.

“They’ve all stepped up to the plate but they’ve been supplemented with players from our emerging players programme.

“Our top scorer, Fred Boger from Wimborne, he’s 15 years old. Everyone has contributed to that win.”

On Sunday, Dorset host Staffordshire at Bashley in the NCCA Trophy (11am).

Boger’s home club are gearing up to host Dorset’s NCCA showcase game against Hampshire Hawks on Sunday, July 30 (11am).