Cumberland’s cricketers clocked up the miles again, making the long overnight journey to the South Coast just a fortnight after their victory in Truro; but the sacrifices were worthwhile as they clinched their place in the final of the MCCA Trophy.

A nerve-shredding victory over Dorset by four wickets with three balls to spare sets up an occasion to be savoured at Wormsley on August 29 when Cumberland will play the winners of the other semi-final between Staffordshire and Wiltshire.

The odds were stacked against Gary Pratt’s side when they arrived in Bournemouth just after 3am.

After Pratt won the toss, Dorset were invited to bat and Richard Gleeson and Paul Hindmarch produced fine spells.

Gleeson produced a beauty to bowl Aaron Williams in the third over, then trapped Nick Park leg before.

Hindmarch removed Darren Cowley lbw, Gleeson had Chris Jones caught at gully by Toby Bulcock.

Bulcock, the leading wicket-taker in both three-day and one-day cricket in the Minor Counties, then got a wicket with his second ball, Masoor Khan lbw.

Dorset were on the ropes at 49-5 and Bulcock turned the screw with an economical spell, conceding just 17 runs from his ten miserly overs.

Dorset captain Tom Hicks was caught by Josh Tolley off Chris Thompson to leave the home side 71-6 and it was left to wicketkeeper Chris Park, with help from the lower order to edge the total towards respectability.

Park reached 50 and Mark Wolstenholme made an unbeaten 36.

Last man Jack Leach hit two fours before he was last man out on 184.

Dorset fought hard in the field and spinners Leach, Cowley and Hicks bowled well but it was Pratt who was the Cumberland hero with a fine unbeaten innings of 71.

James Lowe got the innings off to a positive start with six fours and the game’s only six, a huge hit off Leach.

But the prolific Tolley was caught at slip off Wolstenholme in the fifth over and after adding 54 with Lowe, Ryan Brown was caught behind off Leach.

Lowe moved onto 41 before he was caught at long-off.

Liam Livingstone was bowled by Leach before Alex Atkinson helped his captain steady the ship with a stand of 41 before he was unluckily run out, a Pratt straight drive deflecting off bowler Denham onto the stumps.

When Thompson was trapped leg before, Cumberland were 143-6 in the 42nd over; their victory target still 42 runs away.

With four overs left Cumberland still needed 27, it was 20 off three, 14 off two.

Williams kept his nerve to strike his second boundary through midwicket.

Two were needed off the final over, bowled by Cowley to Pratt.

After two dot balls raised the tension Pratt hit the winning runs with a sweetly timed drive and the visiting supporters could celebrate a famous victory.