LOYAL servant Tom Hicks announced his retirement from Minor Counties cricket immediately following Dorset’s crushing defeat by Berkshire today.

Hicks served the county as captain and player for 18 years, taking 256 wickets and scoring 2,245 runs in the Minor Counties Championship.

The all-rounder claimed his final wicket when he bowled Berkshire skipper James Morris during the visitors’ second innings at Dean Park.

Dorset were on the receiving end of a 201-run defeat as they brought down the curtain on their Western Division campaign in what could be the final Minor Counties match at the venue.

Berkshire piled up 411 for eight declared in their first innings on Sunday before rolling over Dorset for 214 (Masoor Khan 77, Luke Webb 48) with Chris Peploe (8-61) leaving them with a mountain to climb.

Hicks (2-49) and Jake Lilley (2-27) were among the wickets during Berkshire’s second innings but another declaration came at 201 for six, leaving Dorset needing an improbable 399 for victory.

And although Curtis Blakemore (53) and Webb (64) held them up by sharing 63 for the third wicket, Berkshire eventually finished off Dorset for 197 (Tom Nugent 4-75, Peploe 4-59).

To add to Dorset’s woes, they were deducted two points for a slow over rate.