HEREFORDSHIRE 185 (0pts) lost to DORSET 194-8 (2pts) by nine runs

FIVE wickets for Bournemouth spinner Rob Pack helped Dorset earn a tense nine-run NCCA Trophy victory over Herefordshire.

Pack has been in sensational form this season and supreme figures of 5-20 took his overall tally to 9-98 from 30 overs.

His scalps ensured Dorset recorded a second victory in Group Two, following a last-ball thriller at Cornwall and defeat to Wiltshire.

Winning the toss and batting first on a Brockhampton pitch that provided a good contest between bat and ball, Dorset built to 53-0 before losing Oli Soames to Barney Morgan.

Morgan posted one-day best figures of 3-23 as he mopped up Greg Willows (6) and Felix Organ – but not before Organ had constructed a brilliant 51, including three sixes and four boundaries.

Former Worcestershire opening batsmen Matt Pardoe (3-22) then weighed in with best one-day figures of his own.

However, Bournemouth’s Simon Woodruff (63no) batted aggressively late on, crashing six boundaries and four maximums to help boost Dorset to a competitive 194-8.

In reply, Pardoe and Ben Chapman-Lilley (33) got the Bulls off to a flier, guiding the hosts to 92-0.

But the introduction of Pack changed the game as he removed Pardoe for 58 and tore through the top order, also accounting for Worcestershire’s Zain Ul Hassan (8) among his fifer.

Josh Digby (1-34) got rid of Chapman-Lilley as the first six wickets fell to spin.

Morgan (22) and Ian Bullock (24) threatened to take the Bulls home with a calm stand of 42 to leave them 15 runs short of victory.

But once Morgan perished to Woodruff (2-40), a nerveless Dorset took the last two wickets rapidly, Woodruff and debutant Harry Petrie (1-46) with the final dismissals.

Dorset next play Devon in NCCA Trophy action at Dorchester Rec on Sunday (11am).