Woodmancote 232-8, Malmesbury 108 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Woodmancote 232-8, Malmesbury 108

MALMESBURY captain Ed Shellard has called on his top players to regain the team's momentum after slumping to another heavy defeat.

Woodmancote were the latest beneficiaries of Malmesbury's dip in form, winning by 124 runs on Saturday.

Shellard admits that he needs to help pick the team up, but is also looking for improved performances from his top players.

He said: "We've got four or five very good players and we just need them to be performing right now. Maybe it's up to me to do something on the practice nights or on the day itself. I think I need to be a bit more proactive on practice nights.

"I think we can win half-a-dozen games, but it's just a question of getting the momentum going. It's easy when you're winning because the momentum's there and when we get going we should be okay. At the moment everybody is telling me not to panic."

Woodmancote's opening batsman Stuart Brotherton did the majority of the damage, before he was run-out on a score of 99, while Suta Junier's 62 also helped Woodmancote to a total of 232.

Malmesbury never really got into the game, as they struggled to combat their opponent's bowling attack, eventually succumbing to 108 all-out.

"It was just one of those days," said Shellard.

"The ball kept going to the wrong places and we dropped three catches I think, which meant that we ended up chasing about 40 or 50 more than I would have liked.

"We were missing our main opening bowler, Richard Mosdell, who almost always picks up an early wicket and if he had been in and we had got a couple of early wickets it could have been a different story."

Despite a poor run of form recently, Shellard is confident ahead of this Saturday's match against Marshfield.

"We've got quite a strong team next week. Richard Mosdell and Charlie Langton will be available and we should have all of our first five batters."