CRICKET: Solid Championship start by Wiltshire (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

CRICKET: Solid Championship start by Wiltshire

10:16am Monday 4th June 2012 in Wiltshire Sport

WILTSHIRE made a promising start to their Minor Counties Championship campaign with a good batting performance on day one of their three-day encounter with Dorset in Bournemouth yesterday.

The county completed their 90-over innings on 321-6, with the home side starting their reply this morning.

Team boss Neil Shardlow had preached the need to bat through their innings in championship matches and his men delivered in their first taste of the longer form of the game this season.

Goatacre's Ed Kilbee and Warminster opener Richie Underdown put on 95 for the first wicket before Kilbee was caught off the bowling on Tom Hicks for 51.

Underdown was joined by Corsham wicketkeeper Steve Bullen and the pair took the scored on to 216 until Underdown was dismissed nine short of his century.

Bullen (65) followed quickly but skipper Joe Breet (40) and Henry Langdon (30) added another 54 before Langdon's departure.

Corsham's Tom Bowler hit 25 off 28 balls late on to add further strength to the Wiltshire total, Hicks the pick of the home bowling with 2-84.

NEWS FROM DAY TWO OF THE MATCH AT GAZETTEANDHERALD.CO.UK AND WILTSHIRETIMES.CO.UK AND REACTION IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES