CORSHAM’S shifting of their batting order paid dividends as they claimed a 50-run success at local rivals Potterne in Premier One.

Skipper Ashur Morrison, who saw his side invited to bat first at The Grove, opted to overhaul his batting line-up as overseas opener Remano Esau dropped down the order to number four, while his partner in crime at the top order, Gabriel Field, who also relinquished the gloves, came in at number 10.

The Corsham skipper asked Charley Reed and Vibhor Yadav to face the new ball, while Joe King, who came in at number nine last Saturday, batted at three.

“The ground at Potterne has small dimensions so I really wanted to take advantage of that,” Morrison explained.

“So that I why I decided to change it around and open up with Vibhor and Charley, who has opened for us before, with Joe King coming in at three.

“Gabriel was listed to come in at 10, I just felt that with how the game was going there were other players better suited to go in before him.”

The Station Road men, despite the early loss of Reed, had reached 101-1 before King fell for a 38-ball 52.

Esau then joined Yadav and by the halfway stage Corsham were 159-2.

The makeshift opener fell for a solid 75, while South African Esau went on to post a 92-ball 101, which included three sixes and 12 fours, as the visitors closed on 332-9, with Wiltshire captain Ed Young the pick of the bowlers with 3-45.

Potterne made a solid start with their response with many of the home batsmen looking well set.

However, not one of them was able to convert their starts into big scores. Opener Tom Alsop was the leading Potterne batsman with 49, while Chris Penhaligon’s late quick-fire 38 did little to change the course of the match.

Esau led the way with the ball for Corsham with 3-48.

“It was good to buck that losing trend against a very strong Potterne side,” Morrison added.

“It was a positive day all round as we are now out of the bottom two.

“I’m not sure if the batting line-up will stay the same, that was a specific plan for Potterne.

“But we have to make sure we follow this win up against Bridgwater, because they are struggling a bit like us.

“We have beaten Lechlade and we have beaten Bedminster – it is the wins over the teams around us are vitally important.”