LEE Ward is backing his Chippenham side to bounce straight back from their narrow defeat to Stroud last weekend.

Ward’s men suffered a first home loss of the season in agonising fashion, with the visitors snatching a three-wicket victory with the penultimate ball of their innings.

“Our middle order got a few runs after we had a bad start and we were quite happy with our total but the problem was that we didn’t bat for our full 50 overs,” said the Chippenham skipper.

“We took a few early wickets but Stroud batted really well. They got there with just a ball to spare though and if we’d batted those last five overs, we probably would have got an extra 20 or 30, which would have been enough.

“I’ve got a young team that I’m confident will bounce back. We got two wins after losing our first game of the season and a local game against Westbury this weekend is a good chance to do that again.”

Chippenham were put in to bat after losing the toss and got off to a shaky start, losing their first four wickets for just 35 runs.

Captain Ward steadied the ship with a knock of 60 whilst Billy Cookson added 29.

Paul Bates and Michael Torr both weighed in with 18 as the Stroud bowlers put the hosts under constant pressure.

Luke Palmer spearheaded the visitors’ bowling attack as he claimed four wickets whilst Gareth Haines, Ed Price and James Job all took two apiece, with Chippenham skittled for 189 early in the 46th over.

The hosts’ early headway saw them take Stroud’s first four wickets for 60 but Ed Mobbs adde some impetus to the visitors’ run chase with a knock of 57.

Despite Ward, Bates and Arran Merryweather all taking two wickets each for Chippenham, they couldn’t prevent Stroud limping over the line, with Freddie Walker (28) and Price (8) at the crease as they reached 190-7 and claimed their first victory of the season with just a single ball to spare.

Chippenham travel to Westbury this weekend.

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