WILTSHIRE’S hopes of advancing to Finals Day of the Unicorns T20 competition came up just short as they won once and lost once in their double-header at home to Dorset on Sunday.

Victory in both matches in the final round of pool games at South Wilts would have seen Wiltshire overhaul their visitors at the top of the Group Four table.

Although Ed Young’s side triumphed by five runs in the first game, a 14-run success for Dorset in the second contest meant it was they who topped the table and qualified for the semi-finals.

Rain had a bearing on proceedings in Salisbury, with the first game reduced to 13 overs per side.

After being asked to bat first by Dorset, Wiltshire posted 88-6 as Neil Clark (32) top scored.

Dorset seemed to be cruising to their target after reaching 30 without loss, but superb bowling from Tahir Afridi (4-13) kept them in check, and the visitors were only on 83-8 once their 13 overs were up.

Each innings was restored to the full 20 overs for the second game and this time Wiltshire won the toss and asked Dorset to bat first.

Six of the visitors’ top seven batsmen all chipped in as they reached 127 before being bowled out with three balls to spare.

Wiltshire seemed to have no chance of chasing that down when falling to 7-3 early in their reply, and although Jacob Lintott (25) and captain Young (23) led a fightback, the home side’s hopes of a second win and progress to Finals Day subsided as they were dismissed for 113.