CENTURION Ed Young hopes it can be another fruitful summer for Wiltshire in the Unicorns Championship Western Division after inspiring them to a season-opening victory.

Wiltshire were Western Division champions last term and kicked off the defence of that crown earlier this week with an emphatic 142-run success away at Dorset.

After an indifferent series of one-day results at the start of the season, Young hopes Wiltshire can continue at full throttle in the longer format.

“We are really pleased with that result. To get off to a good start in the three-day competition is so important and getting a win on the board early doors is a big boost,” said Young.

“Last year was such a successful season for us in the three-day game and it’s given us belief that we can win games in this format and be competitive right the way through the match.

“Having had a bit of mixed results in one-day games, it’s great for us that we’ve been able to carry on the form we showed in the longer format.

“Hopefully we can carry that on for the rest of the summer now.”

Young set the tone for Wiltshire with a fine knock of 144 on the opening day at Dean Park in Bournemouth – his second century of the season for the county – as Michael Coles’ men reached 357 all out in their first innings.

Potterne ace Young and Joe King then took three wickets apiece as Dorset were dismissed for 212.

Uzair Qureshi (63) and Young (55*) then helped Wiltshire score 258-6dec in their second innings, setting Dorset a mammoth 403 to win.

The hosts looked like they would hang on for a draw on the final day but a heroic effort from spinner King (5-79) eventually saw Wiltshire home.

“I was pleased with how I played. Going in at about 40-2 on the first day; it needed a bit of consolidation and a bit of control,” said Young.

“It was just a case of keeping things simple, keeping your concentration going and batting sensible to just make the most of the bad balls when they came along.

“There was a really good partnership with myself and Mike Reynolds (Trowbridge), who I thought batted superbly on his debut.

“We were really pleased with that total from where we had been and felt it would be pretty competitive right the way through.

“Come their second innings, they had one big partnership but it was a slow-spinning wicket and we always felt there was going to be something there for us.

“Joe bowled really well and gave us a nice long spell.

“It was a case of being patient because we knew something could happen and it did.”

Wiltshire’s second Championship match is at home to Berkshire at Corsham CC starting a week on Sunday.