DORSET’S batting demons came back to haunt them as they were skittled for just 156 in their 59-run defeat at the hands of Devon in the Unicorns Knockout Trophy yesterday.

Chasing 216 for victory in their opening Group One match at North Devon, the visitors were put to the sword batting second and were dismissed eight overs shy of their allotted 50.

Having done a respectable job with the ball to keep themselves in the hunt at the halfway stage, having elected to bowl, Dorset found themselves in all sorts of trouble at 22 for four when club professional Jigar Naik was dismissed by Devon’s Josh Bess.

Bess was their chief tormentor, picking up four for 20 from his seven overs.

Despite a brief recovery with a stand of 92 involving Luke Webb (60) and Michael Porter (32), the rest of the Dorset batting line-up put up little to no resistance as Devon cruised to a comfortable victory.

Earlier in the day, four wickets for former Hampshire paceman Tom Barber (4-39) helped the visitors bowl out Devon for 215 as their innings closed four balls short of their 50 overs.

Opening seamer Mark Wolstenholme also impressed with two for 28 from 9.2 overs, one of few highlights for Dorset.