WILTSHIRE finished their NCCA Trophy group-stage fixtures with a comprehensive six-wicket defeat away at Dorset last weekend.

After victories over Buckinghamshire, Wales NC, and Staffordshire, home advantage was up for grabs in the quarter-finals between the top two counties in Group Four.

But Ed Young’s men were blown away in Dorchester on Sunday and will have to make do with an away clash against Hertfordshire at Hertford CC this coming weekend.

Wiltshire won the toss and chose to bat on an unfamiliar surface, with top-order batters Tom Cullen (35) and Jack Mynott (24) making slow but steady progress - especially against Sussex’s opening bowler, Brad Currie who took one for 26 from his 10 overs.

But only Cullen, Mynott, and Archie Fairfax-Ross (33) passed 20 as Wiltshire’s innings closed on a disappointing 195-9 after 50 overs.

Wiltshire needed early wickets to put pressure on the Dorset batters, and Wiltshire’s man of the match, Joe King began to chip away at the hosts’ top order by picking up captain Luke Webb and David Scott.

However, he could do little to prevent Joseph Eckland (51 off 43 balls) and Sam Young (74 off 81 balls) taking complete control of the match.

King (3-43) eventually had Eckland caught after his half-century, but by that point Dorset were all but home and dry – the hosts romping to victory just less than 20 overs remaining.

Wiltshire will have to pick themselves up ahead of their quarter-final clash in Hertfordshire on Sunday.