Alex Dore struck an impressive 102 not out as Somerset extended their reign as Colts Cup Match champions — no doubt hoping it will be a sign of things to come this week — when they drew with St George’s at Wellington Oval yesterday.

Dore, who failed in his bid to win a Cup Match spot in the trial match on Saturday, showed himself to be a player for the future when he batted for two-and-a-half hours with opener Jade Morrissey to take Somerset close to victory after challengers St George’s posted a solid 257 for six before their innings ended at the cut-off time of 4.20.

However, with Somerset needing only a draw to retain the cup they won back in 2013, they batted sensibly as St George’s struggled to break up the pair. The only success for St George’s was the dismissal of Solomon Burrows when the score was 35, the left-hander hitting a catch straight to Q’Shai Darrell at mid-wicket off captain Nzari Paynter’s first delivery of his spell.

Burrows scored 22 of those 35 runs and after that Morrissey and Dore settled down with some disciplined batting as they shared in an unbroken second-wicket stand of 183 to take the champions to 228 for one in reply, just 30 runs short of victory when the final 20 overs ran out.

Morrissey, who played a perfect supporting role to Dore, finished not out on 80 from seven fours and two sixes while Dore hit eleven fours and three sixes to reach his century on the second-last over of the game, hooking spinner Isaiah Creighton for four. A couple of balls later Dore skied a chance to captain Paynter in the covers but Paynter couldn’t hold the catch.

“The century was definitely in my mind after I made 50, I was well set and had everything on my mind to make the century,” said Dore, 20, who plays in the league for Southampton Rangers. “I batted for myself and batted for my team.”

Dore wasn’t disappointed to miss out on Cup Match selection but he looked determined to show what he can offer the team in the future. “My time will come, I’m still young and learning the game,” he stressed.

St George’s opted not to declare soon after reaching 200, as they allowed Dean Simons to reach his half-century just a couple of overs before the cut-off time. Simons was high man with 64 not out from 85 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes while Q’Shai Darrell scored 50 from 79 balls during a fourth wicket stand of 82 with Simons.

“If they had declared a little earlier I definitely think we would have won this match,” Dore predicted. “With 228 for one and with both batsmen looking set and not like they would get out at all, we definitely could have won. This feels like a very good victory.

“I was just trying to be a mentor [to Morrissey], he’s younger than me so I was telling him to just stay there and not get too complacent. There was no need for any rash shots. He batted very well.”

St George’s rotated their eight bowlers as they tried to break up the partnership. When the final 20 overs began at 6.30, Somerset had 107 on the board with Morrissey and Dore content to stay to the end.

St George’s included English-based Marcus Scotland in their team and he looked promising in scoring 27 of the first 31 runs after opening the innings with his captain and recent Bermuda Under-19 team-mate in the World Cup Qualifiers in Canada.

Jabari Darrell added 40 at No 4 while Creighton scored 30 valuable runs late in the innings before Isaiah Greaves finished on 23 not out. Isaiah Richardson, the Somerset captain, claimed two for 32 from six overs. Micah Simons, Dalin Richardson, Alje Richardson and Dore all claimed one wicket.