DORSET progressed to the NCCA T20 Super 12s after a rainy weekend of cricket in Group Five.

Luke Webb’s men were due to play four T20s in two days, first facing Cornwall twice at Truro before hot-footing it back to Wimborne to entertain Devon twice.

However, the first match of the weekend was cancelled due to rain and Dorset then lost the second encounter to Cornwall, who topped Dorset’s group last season.

England Under-19s star Joseph Eckland struck a fine 59 from 43 balls, proving the bedrock of Dorset’s 127-6 from a rain-revised 18 overs.

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David Scott also struck two sixes in his 22 from 13 balls to help Webb’s men to a competitive total.

And reducing Cornwall to 50-3 reinforced the visitors’ footing in the match, only for home captain Paul Smith to blaze a match-winning knock.

His blistering 62 not out from 34 balls included five sixes and four boundaries as Cornwall got home with five wickets and five balls to spare, Dorset seamer Matt Burton (2-26) the pick of the away attack.

Dorset raced back home to prepare for Devon and took a simple victory in their first rubber, albeit rain-affected.

Webb bowled first after winning the toss and Devon were in dire straits at 48-6 as Jacob Gordon (2-7), Tom Varney (2-22) and Connor Smith (3-24) all impressed.

Ben Beaumont’s 39 from 35 balls frustrated the hosts, who had to wait until the final over to dismiss Devon for 93.

Dorset got as far as 71-3 in their reply before torrential rain fell, although the measured scoring of Eckland (18no) and brother Alex (21no) put Dorset well ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

No further play was possible for the remainder of the day, meaning Dorset locked up two points for victory on DLS and a further point for the cancellation of the second match, handing them second position.

Dorset have been drawn with Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire in the Super 12s, with Oxon hosting their mini group on Sunday, May 19.