SWINDON skipper Andrew Staff hailed a crucial third-wicket partnership as his side stunned previously-unbeaten Glos/Wilts Division leaders Warminster with a 40-run success.

Staff’s men started the season in shaky fashion and were beaten in their opening two fixtures.

They got off the mark at the third time of asking with a hard-fought victory over Apperley and have gone from strength to strength this weekend and are now in the thick of mid-table.

Staff said: “It’s nice to get another victory on the board. We managed to get a win under our belts last week and to follow that up against top of the league is a superb effort.”

Warminster had been in imperious form so far in 2015 and looked set to dominate the day after dismissing home openers Marc Williamson and Scott Edmed cheaply.

However, Jonathan Sore and Alex Kill came together and hauled Swindon out of a big hole at 18-2, taking the game away from the visitors with a brilliant stand of 150.

Sore was first to go for 72 and by the time Kill joined him back in the pavilion his 82 had taken Swindon past 200.

Big hitting from Dean Williamson (32) added late impetus as the home side eventually finished on 243-7. Graham Cuthbertson was the pick of the Warminster attack with 3-62.

Skipper Staff said: “That partnership was massive for us. We lost a couple of early wickets but they came together, took their time and built a really good innings. They started patiently and got to the drinks break before pushing on and then accelerated when they needed to.

“That also meant we had wickets in hand and Dean came in and really forced it towards the end, which made a big difference to the final total.”

Will Nichols removed Warminster captain Tom Davie cheaply in their reply, and his figures of 3-43 helped leave the visitors in a mess at 85-5.

Ankit Shastri (54) proved good resistance but an impressive spell from Tom Codling (3-24) halted that charge, and he had the honour of finishing the innings as Warminster were all out for 203.

“We felt 230 was a good score so we were delighted to get beyond 240, although we still knew we were in a game and we’d have to bowl well, which we did,” added Staff.

“Will opened up and took a couple of early wickets and that put the pressure on.

“Tom was superb as well, he came on first change and slowed the run-rate. It was a really good spell and he was swinging the ball and caused them a lot of problems.”