DORCHESTER captain Dan Belt is relishing the prospect of taking on his boyhood club Puddletown in Dorset Premier League action at Plush tomorrow (1pm).

Belt rose through the youth ranks at Puddletown before stints with Weymouth and Dorchester and has also represented Dorset in a distinguished career.

He still turns out for Puddletown in the Dorchester & District Evening League but tomorrow he lines up against Puddle for the first time in the Dorset League.

It comes after Puddletown have achieved four promotions since 2017.

READ MORE: Dorchester beat old rivals Poole to make statement of intent 

Speaking to Echosport, he said: “Obviously it’s my boyhood club so for them to get up into the Premier is great and they’ve done it quite quickly.

“The boys are looking forward to it because they know most of their team as well. We’re looking for a nice competitive game.

“We’re at opposite ends of the table but the ground and wicket could bring the teams closer together on the day.

“A few of us have played there in Evening League, so we have knowledge of it but it’s a small ground, it’s more the wicket and how it will play.”

Dorchester are searching for a third straight win. Belt added: “This is a week that we want to take advantage of one of the lower teams in the league.

“We’ll play it with as much respect for team as any other team. They’ve got plyers that can damage us. The first two games were great and we’ll just have to keep going.”

Opposing skipper Adam Barrett, a good friend of Belt, will come up against brother Jamie tomorrow as Puddletown target their first win of the campaign.

He said: “As soon as the fixtures came out, the first game we looked for is Dorchester.

“We have a good relationship with them, we play Evening League with lots of their players and obviously my brother plays too.

“That will be quite a weird experience playing against him in a Saturday game. In my opinion they’re the best team in the league and I’m pretty sure they’ll go and win the league again this season.

“We’ve got to focus on our game make them work for any points they want to pick up. We know they’re going to go for the full 20 points.

“It’s down to us to make them work for all the points they get and counter-attack in the match and pick up points ourselves.”

Dorchester are unchanged, but Puddletown’s Dave Morris is expected to replace all-rounder Rob Snow.

Puddletown: Re Norman, Mitchell, A Barrett, C Chaldecott, Clarke, Eastment, Ry Norman, S Chaldecott, Fairman, D Morris, J Morris.

Dorchester: Ryall, Mitchem, Rajendar, Peak, Belt, Owens, J Foot, J Barrett, Legg, Baker, Dunham.

Puddletown Seconds host Winton Fourths in County Division Five but Puddletown Thirds have pulled out of County Division Seven.

Dorchester Seconds and Thirds are home and away respectively to Sturminster & Hinton in Division Two and Parley Fourths in Division Six (all tomorrow 1.30pm).

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Martinstown are looking to bounce back at home to Wimborne & Colehill tomorrow (1pm).

Sam Kershaw’s men lost all ten wickets for 49 runs against Bere Regis last time out, wasting a superb position of 138-0 in pursuit of 268.

Kershaw said: “(Wimborne) seem to have hit the ground running. This is quite a big run of games now, with Dorchester next week.

“We did get off on the back foot in this run of three but hopefully we can bounce back this week and then build momentum next week.

“We’ve got more than enough talent in the batting to get runs. Will (Maltby) has had a quiet start, hopefully he can find form again.

“Ed (Nichols) been in good form and Sean (Williams) got runs on the board last week. It will click, we all know, but it’s a shame we didn’t get off to as good a start as last year.”

Martinstown: Nichols, S Williams, W Maltby, T Pope, F Williams, Kershaw, Hill, Je Stewart, Camp, Coombs, Durant.

Meanwhile, Bere Regis are hosting Sherborne for the first time since 2019 tomorrow (1pm).

Bere beat Martinstown by 80 runs last time out but skipper Brian Keegan is wary of Sherborne, who are an established Premier League side with a settled squad.

He said: “They’ve got largely the same team, so we’re aware of how competitive they can be and won’t be taking it lightly.

“There’s no easy game, anyway. It’s all about momentum. We’d like to build on what we came out of the match with last week.

“There are things to work on but we can start on the front foot this week and try and execute our plans, rather than try and pull it back all the time.”

Tim Goodhew and Jacob Kennard (both unavailable) miss out but Dean Rogerson comes in, along with debutant Cleay Perham.

Bere: M King, Russell, S Goodhew, Robertson, Murphy, Perham, Rogerson, Rich Cole, Payne, Keegan, Walbridge.

Bere main sponsor: Booth Gadenne

Bere first & second XI ball sponsor: Dorset Property Surveys

Bere Regis Seconds visit Sherborne Seconds in Division Three tomorrow (1.30pm).

In County Division One, Portland Red Triangle come up against Hamworthy Recreation tomorrow (1.30pm).

Matt Randell’s side make the lengthy trip east having suffered a four-wicket home loss to Wimborne & Colehill Seconds last time out.

Randell said: “Hamworthy’s always a tricky fixture – I can’t actually remember winning at Hamworthy, so we’ll be looking to break that this time.

“They’ve had a couple of bad results so hopefully we can go up there and win. They’ve always been an easier team to play earlier in the season, so hopefully we’ve got that on our side as well.”

Portland show three changes to their side, with Riley Marsh and Dave Clifford dropping to the seconds. James Potts is unavailable but Simon Proffitt, Ryan Price and Khylo Farley come in.

Portland: Laws, D Adkins, Proffitt, M Barrett, Theakstone, Randell, J Adkins, Price, Farley, Cameron, J Marsh.

Portland’s seconds host Poole Fourths at Reforne in Division Five tomorrow (1.30pm).

In Division Two, Weymouth are looking to reply to a heavy defeat by up-and-coming Chalke Valley when they host Charlton Down at Redlands tomorrow (1.30pm).

The Seasiders lost to the Division Three champions by six wickets and face their fellow promoted team next up.

Captain Harry Mitchell said: “We’re definitely looking for a response. Trying to gain our momentum is going to be crucial.

“Charlton Down have had a good start, two wins from two and have some good players.

“But if we can really focus on ourselves and how we can win, that’s what we’ll go with.

“Playing at home, we love playing at Redlands – especially with our new facilities. It’s the best it’s looked for a long, long time.

“We’ve made Redlands a bit of a fortress over the last couple of years. It’s going to be a stepping stone to us climbing the table.”

Weymouth make three changes, with Jonny Armfield, Dom Webb and Dave Blackman unavailable. In come Tom England, Adam Hoyes and Tom Reed.

Weymouth: England, Beals, Walton, Womble, Mitchell, J Sapsworth, Guyett, Urumancheri, Hoyes, Reed, Jose.

Weymouth Seconds visit Marnhull Thirds in Division Six tomorrow (1.30pm).