BURBAGE & Easton Royal captain Tom Wallbridge reckons his side will need nerves of steel if they are to succeed in clinching the Wadworth 6X West of England Premier League Wiltshire Division title this season.

Burbage have agonisingly finished as runners-up in the last two summers and Wallbridge thinks his team can’t afford to suffer many slip-ups as they look to go one better this year.

The villagers maintained their 100 per cent start to the current campaign with a six-wicket victory at Nationwide House last weekend.

“It’s always a very tough division to get out of and it’s going to be really close again this year,” said Wallbridge.

“We know that you can suffer from having just a few losses, so we’re going to concentrate on each game as it comes and try to make sure that we win.

“I’d back our bowling attack to bowl out any team in this league – on Saturday, once we got rid of their guy Jon Clarke, Adam Lavis came in and saw off their bottom order.

“It was a very clinical performance and we were happy with it.”

Hosts Nationwide put themselves into bat after winning the toss and Jon Clarke held the fort with a knock of 62 before he became one of three batsmen to fall to Darran Freegard (3-28).

Adam Lavis then dished out the bulk of the damage as he claimed five wickets for just 20 runs, with Nationwide skittled for 146 in the 36th over.

The home side’s Anthony Pettifer took three wickets, Burbage’s Daniel Wootton hit an unbeaten 66 whilst Haydn Amor added 28 as Wallbridge’s side reached 147-4 in the 35th over.

Elsewhere, Marshfield notched up their second win of the season with a 48-run triumph over Calne.

Dan Watson’s hosts batted first after winning the toss and saw Dave Jenkins (84), James Williams (67) and Will Johnson (58) find their range as Marshfield posted 275-8, with Calne’s Tom Brewer taking 3-35.

Julian Kearney hit 85 in reply, with number nine Tom Crosby also adding 49 but 4-27 from Tom Lamb and 3-54 from Wayne Pascall ensured that Calne were skittled for 227 in the final over.

Great Bedwyn also maintained their winning form with a 103-run victory over Devizes.

Batting first after winning the toss, Max Andrews hit 87 while Richard Bosson weighed in with 51 as Bedwyn posted 247-8.

John Dunford (27) notched up Devizes’ highest total as the Bedwyn bowlers went to work, with Andrews claiming 4-34 as Joe Wookey’s men were all out for 144 in the 46th over.

Marlborough recorded their first win of the summer with a 66-run triumph at Trowbridge.

Tom Norris’ men were put in to bat first and their first two wickets fell for just seven runs before a 172-run partnership between skipper Norris (85) and Dylan Bennie (105) got them on their way to 245-8.

Trowbridge opener Wes Marshall (50) and Sam Julyan (69) were among the runs, but 3-13 from Marlborough’s Mark Wingfield-Digby helped pile on the pressure, with the hosts all out for 179 in the last over.

Captain Norris said: “Myself and Dylan struggled at first but dug in and batting got easier – but it was hard work bowling them out.”

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