CHIPPENHAM skipper Lee Ward lauded the character of his side after they got back to winning ways with a dominant eight-wicket win at Swindon.

A 120-run defeat at Burbage & Easton Royal a week earlier had threatened to derail Chippenham’s title challenge but they made a swift return to form at the County Ground to reassert their dominance at the head of the table.

Ward’s men now hold a four-point advantage on Rockhampton with four games to go.

“We needed a big reaction from the weekend. We had a long chat after the Burbage game and wanted to put that right and this is the exact reaction that I wanted,” said Ward.

“We have got four games left to go but we are not looking around worrying about anyone else.

“One of those is against Rockhampton so we know if we win the last four games, we will be champions.”

Swindon were in trouble from the off as Ward (4-27) had the top of the order in disarray.

Opener Paul Paginton fell for a duck, as did fellow top-five batsmen Alex Kill and Liam Tucker, as the hosts slumped to 39-4.

Jonathan Sore (28) and Will Nichols were the only Swindon players to come out with much credit as they were at least able to see the home side past the 100 mark.

Tom Young also chipped in with 3-23 for Chippenham as the Swindon innings eventually came to a close on 114, with a hefty 22 of those coming in the form of extras.

Nichols gave Swindon brief hope that they might make a game of it when opener Young was dismissed with just 20 on the board in Chippenham’s reply but Darryl Losper (50*) and Arran Merryweather (37) swiftly took the game away from them.

Dean Williamson was able to pick up another wicket but the visitors stormed past the winning line in the 17th over, finishing on 118-2.

“I was pleased with how I bowled,” added Ward.

“We got into them early and they were four down after about 10 overs.

“That put us in a strong position but we needed to finish it off, and the bowlers who came on at the end did that.

“We didn’t need to get carried away in the reply but they just played their natural game and we chased it down pretty quickly.”