CUMBERLAND v DORSET at Netherfield

CUMBERLAND v DORSET at Netherfield - Day one of three

Steve O'Shaughnessy, the former Lancashire and Worcestershire batsman, answered Cumberland's call with a priceless innings of 118 on the opening day of the Minor Counties final at Netherfield.

O'Shaughnessy revived the Eastern Division winners from 12 for three to a formidable 315 for seven off their mandatory 80 overs. Dorset, however, rode their luck to finish the day on 84 without loss off 31 overs. The final was off to a sensational start after Cumberland skipper Simon Dutton chose to bat on winning the toss. John Glendenen pushed back a return catch to Steve Forshaw from the first ball of the match, dangerman Ashley Metcalfe sliced Toby Sharpe to third-man in the second over and Terry Hunte then played a lazy shot to square-leg.

Survival then turned into revival as O'Shaughnessy and opener David Pearson (62) set about repairing the early damage.

They shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 157 in 52 overs before anchor-man Pearson became Dorset leg-spinner Vyvian Pike's 66th championship victim of the season.

O'Shaughnessy, who hit two sixes and 17 fours, was sixth out on 218 in the 68th over, but some improvised acceleration from Dutton (41 off 42 balls) and Paul Beech (43 not out off 34 balls) swept Cumberland past 300 in eye-catching fashion.

Scores:

Cumberland 315-7 (80 overs, S J O'Shaughnessy 118, D J Pearson 62, TC Hicks 3-141) Dorset 84-0 (31 overs)

CUMBERLAND v DORSET at Netherfield - Day two of three

A RECORD-BREAKING 170 not out from Andrew Sexton revived Dorset's fortunes on a fluctuating second day at Netherfield.

Sexton, the 20-year-old left-hander on the MCC groundstaff, ensured the play-off went into a third day as Dorset dug deep to launch a resolute second innings recovery after being forced to follow on 185 runs behind.

They closed on 260 for three, holding a lead of 75 runs, with Sexton on 170 not out - the highest ever score in a Minor Counties final. Dorset's bid to match Cumberland's 315 for seven went seriously downhill from the third over of the day. They were dismissed for just 130, their overnight 84 without loss eroded by a combination of some back-bending seam bowling from David Pennett (3-18), Marcus Sharp (2-23) and Paul Beech (3-40) and some undistinguished shots.

From 86 for nought, they lurched to 101 for eight. At one stage they almost came to a total standstill, mustering just one run in 11 overs. The tail wagged briefly as the last two wickets yielded 29 runs, and it might have been even more had Tim Lamb not been run out when he clearly appeared to have made his ground.

Five minutes batting was left before lunch but chaos reigned when both teams came out to field. Dorset had not received the official request to bat again and it was a further eight minutes before Jon Hardy and Sexton took guard for the one remaining over of the session.

When Hardy fell to the third ball of the afternoon the omens did not look good for Dorset.

But Sexton profited from an easing pitch and some tired bowlers, and he revealed his liking for the leg-side. A second-wicket stand of 155 with Peter Deakin (46) laid the foundations for a face-saving fightback, and although Deakin departed to a dubious lbw decision against leg-spinner Simon Kippax, Sexton advanced to his maiden county century, hitting 22 fours and a six in an innings spanning 220 balls. All but 33 of his 170 came through the on-side.

Scores:

Cumberland 315-7 (80 overs) Dorset 130 (59.2 overs, AJ Sexton 41, D B Pennett 3-18, P Beech 3-40) & following on 260-3 (73 overs, AJ Sexton 170 not out, P J Deakin 46)

CUMBERLAND v DORSET at Netherfield - Day three of three

CUMBERLAND traded the 1998 Eastern Division wooden-spoon for the 1999 Minor Counties championship trophy after an unbeaten century from Ashley Metcalfe piloted them to a six-wicket win over a Dorset side who have now lost in two successive finals.

The inaugural three-day championship play-off was a resounding success, not least due to a wicket that gave bounce on the first two days, and turned yesterday.

Dorset's second innings of 396 was a personal triumph for left-hander Andrew Sexton, whose elegant 196 off 266 balls was only seven runs away from matching the county's record individual score, Geoff Courtney's 203 not out against Oxfordshire in 1953.

David Pennett, bowling through the pain of a knee injury, would have improved on his figures of four for 106 had Cumberland not dropped three catches, but it was ironic that the leg breaks of Simon Kippax should help polish off the Dorset tail. Dorset themselves have harvested rich rewards from Vyvian Pike, their own leg-spinner, but he was one of Kippax's three victims in 15 balls, bowled around his legs.

Stuart Rintoul, the Dorset captain, returned to the crease after retiring with a lump above his right eye after a pull against Steve O'Shaughnessy wedged in his helmet grille, but it was to little avail. Pike took his tally of wickets for the season to 68 - the best return in the championship for 25 years - but Metcalfe's 115 not out off 164 balls paced Cumberland home with 20 balls to spare.

Scores:

Cumberland 315-7 (80 overs) & 214-4 (61.4 overs, AA Metcalfe 115*) Dorset 130 (59.2 overs, AJ Sexton 41, D B Pennett 3-18, P Beech 3-40) & following on 396 (115.5 overs, AJ Sexton 196, PJ Deakin 46, SAJ Kippax 4-91, D B Pennett 4-106)

CUMBERLAND WON BY 6 WICKETS