DORSET will be hoping for history to repeat itself when they begin their quest to win this year's Minor Counties Champ-ionship tomorrow, reports Phil Chard.

Stuart Rintoul's team visit Wiltshire at Cor-sham in a three-day match starting tomorrow at 11am.

And Dorset's captain will be hoping they can put their dreadful form of last season - they failed to win any of their six games - firmly behind them by getting their Western Division campaign off to a triumphant start.

The omens are good because the last time the two sides met in the championship, Dorset pulled off a vital two-run victory on the same ground that seal-ed the regional pennant.

That was back in August 2000 and Dorset went on to defeat Cumberland by five wickets in the national final at Bournemouth Sports Club to pick up the trophy for the first - and only - time in their 100-year plus history.

The win over Wiltshire was also the last time the south coast county had won a regional championship match.

It was a high-scoring two-day affair that saw Dorset chasing a big target in their second innings for victory.

Glyn Treagus (85) and Rintoul (55) were top-scorers, but it was all-rounder Dave Kidner, with 33 not out, who linked up with his Bournemouth team mate Toby Sharpe to guide Dorset home at the death with 307 for eight.

That was the last time Dorset have played a two-day championship game because the national final against Cumberland was over three days.

Irony is, Dorset have failed to adapt to the three-day championship game fully introduced last season since then, despite the fact they beat Cumber-land in that marvellous climax to their 2000 campaign. Dorset finished bottom of the Western Division last term after drawing two and losing four of their games.

Wiltshire, however, were almost as bad. They finished only one place above Rintoul's boys, winning only one and drawing two of their six matches.

Dorset: (from) Treagus, Swarbrick, Deakin, Cowley, Lamb, M Miller, Rintoul, Kidner, Elliot-Square, Walbridge, Forshaw, Tizzard.

Dorset 12-man squad for their 38-County Competition vs Somerset Board XI (Dean Park, June 9): Treagus, Swarbrick, Deakin, Cowley, Lamb, Thurgood, M Miller, Kidner, Mixer, Elliot-Square, Walbridge, Forshaw.