STEVE Bullen’s thumping century wasn’t enough to prevent Wiltshire’s Unicorns Knockout Trophy campaign coming to an agonising end at Dorset yesterday evening.

A lengthy rain delay meant that the county side needed to reach target of 222 from 34 overs to progress to the semi-finals but Bullen’s knock of 113 proved in vain as Wiltshire fell just four runs short.

The hosts’ first three wickets fell for just 35 runs but number three Tom Arnold stuck around for virtually all of Dorset’s innings, spending more than two hours at the crease as he hit an unbeaten 69.

Luke Webb also chipped in with 47 as the home side reached 168-4 before the elements intervened two balls into the 34th over.

Corsham batsman Bullen led the Wiltshire charge, finding the boundary 15 times as he smacked Dorset's bowlers all around North Perrott from 105 deliveries, but fell with less than three overs to spare.

Despite Ed Young also weighing in with a total of 50, Tahir Afridi (10) and Andy Carroll (14), who faced just 15 balls between them, were unable to get the visitors over the line as they closed on 217-5.