COUNTIES CRICKET Dorset win Championship opener
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, 29 July 2025 07:33
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 29 July 2025 07:36
- Published on Tuesday, 29 July 2025 07:33
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
The win came just 15 days after Dorset had defeated Shropshire in the National Counties Trophy final with slow left-armer Mo Abbas, who sat out that game, the match-winner this time.
Abbas followed up his four first innings wickets with another career-best – five for 31 – which gave him match figures of nine for 50.
Shropshire, who were shout out for 130 in their first innings, managed only seven more in their second with opener Seb Scott (33) the only batter to reach 30.
Earlier Dorset built scoreboard pressure by making 307 for nine in their first innings with Ed Ellis (87 not out) playing the key innings with excellent support from Ethan Baker (24) and Joe Carson (39). Ellis and Carson added 78 for the eighth wicket with seamer George McCormick taking three for 42 for Shropshire.
Wiltshire opening batter Jack Mynott continued his excellent start to the Championship season with a century against Cheshire in the other Western Division Two match at Alderley Edge.
Mynott’s century left the match finely-balanced after Cheshire had gained a first innings lead of 24 thanks to half-centuries from captain David Wainwright (82) and Luke Young, who followed up his six wickets on the first day with 73 not out).
Thanks to Mynott and half-centuries from captain Ed Young and Jake Goodwin, Wiltshire ended the day on 255 for four with the match nicely balanced.
Western Division champions Berkshire fought back in the evening session against Cornwall at Truro.
Berkshire trailed by 101 on first innings despite half centuries from captain Dan Lincoln and Rhys Lewis with Cornwall’s acting-captain Will MacVicar again leading from the front with six wickets.
Seamer Andy Rishton then took two wickets as Cornwall slipped to 28 for three at the start of their second innings before Alex Blake, a double centurion in the first innings, and Xavie Clarke took them to 58 for three at the close.
Oxfordshire closed in on victory against Herefordshire in the other Western Division One match at Eastnor.
They had a first innings lead of 173 after dismissing Herefordshire for 223 and quickly extended it to 448 before captain Max Mannering declared. Oxfordshire then had Herefordshire in trouble at 18 for two at the close.
Herefordshire’s first innings resistance was led by their acting-captain Olly Walker (84) and Hasan Mahmood (72) with Mannering taking four wickets.
George Tait (93 from 59 balls) and Luke Maslen, with his second half-century of the match, accelerated Oxfordshire to their declaration at 275 for six inside 39 overs.
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