8:30am Friday 28th August 2009
JAMES Hibberd stood down as Wiltshire skipper as his side finished the Minor Counties Championship season in eighth after a narrow four-run defeat to Dorset at Bournemouth.
Hibberd has stepped down to concentrate on his own game, with a successor to be named in October.
Wiltshire dominated the match until midway through the second day, when a county record 10th-wicket stand of 157 between Nick Park (219) and David Kidner (54 not out) swung the match the hosts way.
Hibberd’s men bowled out Dorset for 127 in their first innings before amassing 300-9, Greg Lamb following up a bowling spell of 4-44 - which included a hat-trick - with a knock of 113 in a fourth-wicket partnership of 136 with Ben Walker (40).
Dorset were teetering on 257-9 in their second innings, when Park and Kidner took control.
They were eventually dismissed for 414, leaving WIltshire 242 to win.
After ending the second day on 71-2, Wiltshire slumped to 171-7, and despite some useful lower order contributions, including from Hibberd (35), they fell agonisingly short of their target.
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