CHAMPIONS Dorchester return to action on Saturday with their first friendly of the year.

The county town side, who won the Dorset Funeral Plan Premier League title last summer, travel to Street in Somerset this weekend for their opening match of 2009.

Skipper Martyn Richards has managed to keep much of his title-winning squad together with the exceptions being batsman Pete Moxom and bowler Rob Waite.

However, Waite is expected to return to the club in June while Australian Xenon Ellin has joined the ranks.

Richards said: “Pete Moxom is staying in Australia while Rob Waite has been in New Zealand and will miss the first month of the season.

“We had a really close-knit group last year and besides Rob and Pete we have been able to keep them together for the start of this season.

“Xenon is from Melbourne and comes highly recommended. He’s a left-arm quick bowler and we’re looking forward to seeing him. We are working on other new signings but he is the only one at the moment.”

Dorchester’s remaining friendly before the Premier League curtain-raiser at Wimborne & Colehill on May 2, is a trip to last season’s third-placed side Poole Town on April 25.

The county town outfit can also look forward to renewing their rivalry with neighbours Weymouth. The Rec fixture takes place on June 20 with the Redlands meeting scheduled for August 22 – the penultimate game of the season.

Looking ahead to the start of the campaign, Richards added: “We’re very much looking forward to it. I’m confident we can get off to a good start and hopefully defend the title we won last year.

“We had six games called off last season because of the weather, which was a third of our fixtures, so that was a shame as we are eager to play every week. Hopefully the weather will be kinder to us this year.”