Dorchester all-rounder Dan Belt returns to his old stomping ground this weekend – aiming to cement his place in Dorset’s one-day side.

Belt spent a decade at Weymouth before moving across the Ridgeway back in 2008 to join the county town outfit, immediately helping them to land the Dorset Premier League crown.

However, on Sunday he will be back at Redlands, leading the attack for Dorset in an MCCA Trophy Group Three fixture against Herefordshire (11am).

The reigning Minor Counties champions need to bounce back from their four-run defeat by Oxfordshire if they are to stand a realistic chance of advancing to the knockout rounds.

Herefordshire are sitting atop the table but Belt is confident the southerners can regain the form that saw them dominate the Minor Counties scene in 2010.

And he also reckons an eye-catching individual performance could enable him to become a key figure in Dorset’s Trophy quest.

Speaking to Echosport, Belt said: “It’s good to get back into the team having missed the Oxfordshire match and hopefully I can come in and make an impression.

“I’m injury free at the moment and feel I have had a good start to the season with Dorchester. I’m bowling reasonably well and I want to continue to improve throughout the season.

“Hopefully I can do enough in this game to cement my place in the side. I’m only available for the one-day games because of work, so that’s my target.”

Asked what he expects from the wicket at Redlands, Belt added: “I spent about 10 years at Weymouth so I’d like to think I know it pretty well, but things can change.

“I’m sure it will offer something for the seam bowlers if they put the ball in the right areas but also for the batsmen if they apply themselves.”

Dorset exited this competition at the quarter-final stage last season but Belt is tipping them to progress further this time round, despite the Oxfordshire setback.

“We had a really strong team last year and that was proved in the fact that we won the Minor Counties Championship, but things didn’t quite go our way in the Trophy,” he said.

“We’ve got a younger team this year but there’s plenty of talent. We want to do the double and everybody will be giving 100 per cent.

“It was disappointing to lose our first game against Oxfordshire by such a small margin but I see no reason why we can’t win our three remaining group games.”

Last year Redlands hosted a county match for the first time in a decade and Belt believes such occasions, away from Dorset’s Dean Park headquarters in Bournemouth, should become a regular occurrence.

He added: “It’s great for Weymouth to be hosting a Dorset game. It gives more people a chance to see the county team and that’s something there should be more of.

“Most of the games take place in Bournemouth, which makes it harder for people from places like Bridport or Weymouth to see them.”

Besides Belt’s inclusion, Ed Denham, Simon Watkins and former Devon CCC opening batsman Chris Mole come into the side for Henry Turner (thigh), Chris Morgan, Tom Flowers and Mitch Wilson.

Dorset: N Park, Mole, Treagus, Cowley, C Park, Hicks, Watkins, Metcalfe, Denham, Belt, Leach.

* Tickets are on sale for Dorset’s Twenty20 fixtures against the Gloucestershire Gladiators and the Hampshire Royals later this month.

Gloucestershire, who could feature leading Test wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan in their ranks, visit Sherborne School on Friday, May 27 (5pm).

And that match is followed by a mouth-watering clash against the Hampshire Royals at Dean Park on Monday, May 30 (2.30pm).

To purchase tickets, contact the Dorset Cricket Board office on 01202 881349.