DORCHESTER chairman Mark Derrien has expressed his delight at the decision to include the county town outfit in this summer’s new-look Dorset Premier League.

The Dorset Cricket Board have chosen Dorchester as one of 10 teams to make up their restructured top flight.

Derrien’s club will be joined by rivals Weymouth and Martinstown, as well as Broadstone, Parley, Poole Town, Sherborne, Stalbridge, Swanage and Wimborne & Colehill.

“We are absolutely delighted,” said Derrien. “We are delighted because we are an ambitious club that wants to play in the top league.

“We would have preferred to achieve it on the pitch by being promoted last year.

“But because we’ve got youth teams playing regularly, and the committee has put in a lot of hard work with the facilities, we have benefitted from the restructure of the league.

“We are looking forward to this season and I’m confident we will be competitive in the top tier.”

Derrien is pleased to see neighbours Martinstown and Weymouth earn places in the new set-up too.

“They deserve to be in there as well,” he added. “I’m delighted Martinstown have joined us and it’s a great achievement for them.

“We missed that rivalry with Weymouth last season, and I think they did too. The season isn’t complete without us going down to their place and them coming to us.

“It’s good for the players, supporters and sponsors that we’re in the same division again.”

Dorchester Cricket Club will hold its AGM this Friday at the Sydney Arms (7pm).