THREE years and 11 months after their last Minor Counties Championship victory, Dorset finally tasted success once again with an enthralling two-wicket win over Herefordshire at Dean Park.

While cynics would suggest that cricket is rarely a sport to get spectators on the edge of their seats, this gritty and determined effort from the Dorset side saw them reach their target of 285 with 3.5 overs to spare and with just two wickets in hand to spark jubilant scenes in the home dressing room and smiles all round among the watching public.

Batsmen Reg Keates (106) and Neil Harrison-Smith (102 not out) were the heroes for Dorset as they provided the platform for victory with two superb knocks as they each made their maiden hundreds at Minor Counties level.

But special mention must be made of Herefordshire skipper Chris Boroughs who agreed a sporting declaration with Dorset counterpart Tim Lamb to set up a brilliant final day's cricket which could easily have gone either way.

Lamb declared the Dorset first innings on their overnight score of 26-1 and Herefordshire followed suit calling a halt at 29-1 before lunch yesterday after Monday's play was limited to just six overs by the weather.

That left Dorset a competitive target of 285 to win from 75 overs but when openers Glyn Treagus and Neil Thurgood were dismissed with just 19 runs on the board, defeat looked a distinct possiblity.

Keates, however, had other ideas and in tandem with the big-hitting Darren Cowley, put on 55 for the third wicket before going on to reach a richly-deserved century with a succession of flowing strokes.

When Harrison-Smith entered the fray it seemed that Dorset would coast to the required 285 until Keates was somehow adjudged lbw by umpire Guy Randall-Johnson despite the ball appearing to be too high to hit the stumps.

But the South African-born hospitality consultant stuck to his task in resolute fashion and, despite a few close calls including one wild edge that didn't go to hand, steered his side home as he cracked his 17th boundary of the innings to bring up a superb hundred and seal Dorset's first Championship win in nearly four years.

Tim Lamb, who was skippering the side for the final time before he takes up a teaching position in Malaysia, was understandably delighted at the outcome.

He said: "It feels absolutely brilliant. Reggie (Keates) and Harry (Harrison-Smith) did superb jobs out there for us, but a lot of guys chipped in with useful contributions and hung around to make partnerships.

"Harry scored 60 of the last 70 runs we needed and it was pretty tense towards the end. But everyone is delighted."