WILTSHIRE claimed their first Unicorns Championship victory of the summer with an emphatic 218-run success at home to Dorset.

Opener Steve Bullen plundered 276 runs across the three days, including a double century in Wiltshire’s first innings, while fellow day one centurion Jake Lintott took 6-50 in Dorset’s second innings to wrap up a landslide win.

Wiltshire team manager Neil Shardlow said: “It was a great win and over the three days, we were the far better side. We played some really good cricket right across the three days.

“Steve and Jake’s performances stand out but it’s not about individuals, it’s about the whole team and it’s been an excellent effort.

“Steve had a cracking innings in the first innings and Jake was great as well with his 100 in the first innings and his wickets in the second but ultimately, it was an all-round good team performance.

“There were other bits and pieces at certain times in the three days that brought us through.”

Bullen set the tone for Wiltshire from the off with his huge knock of 201 allowing them to declare on 442-6, which included a fourth-wicket partnership of 210 with Lintott (103).

Dorset were 13-0 at the close of day one in reply but they never threatened to take a first innings lead as they were limited to just 232, with no batsman reaching a half-century.

Jake Goodwin led the home attack, taking 3-38, while Lintott, Joe King and Tahir Afridi took two wickets each.

With plenty of time still left on day two, Wiltshire opted not to enforce the follow on despite their 210-run lead and instead went out in search of further quick runs.

Again Bullen was at the forefront and a score of 75 was the backbone of the innings as Wiltshire declared on 196-9 – a lead of 406.

A handful of overs were still left in the day and the home side were able to make an early inroad, with Dorset resuming the final day on 19-1.

The visitors frustrated Wiltshire for a while as they looked to wrap up the win, with Luke Webb (69) particularly stubborn, but once Lintott got into the groove, Dorset soon began to crumble and they were eventually dismissed for 188.

Shardlow added: “We chose not to enforce the follow on because the guys were out in the field for 80 overs from Sunday night and into Monday and it’s been boiling hot for a couple of days – these temperatures are not something we are used.

“The one thing we wanted to make sure was that everyone was fresh and ready to go for the second innings. The issue for us on a turning wicket was that we didn’t want to bat on it last.

“We made the right decision but if I am honest, we could have gone the other way and let them follow on and I think we would have still won by a big margin anyway.”