WILTSHIRE wrapped up their first Unicorns Championship win of the summer with a 70-run success over Wales at South Wilts on Tuesday.

Despite Ed Young’s side setting their opponents 385 to win on Monday evening, momentum seemed to be with Wales when play resumed on the final day as the visitors began on 121-2 and Gareth Ansell and Steffan Roberts looking to continue their unbeaten stand of 120.

The Wales duo picked up where they left off overnight and Griffiths had brought up his century before he finally fell to Jake Lintott for 126 with the score on 219.

Roberts soon followed for 92, also to Lintott, as Wiltshire began to get a grip on the game again.

With those two gone, it was a case of being patient for the home side and their perseverance paid off as Lintott claimed 5-52 to dismiss Wales for 314, still some way shy of Wiltshire’s target.

Having had the visitors at 1-2 in the first over of their second innings, captain Young admitted there was more than a feeling of slight relief once victory was finally secured.

“The first over on Monday night was a bit ridiculous, really,” said Young.

“I don’t think it was that type of pitch where you could just skittle a side out, it was hard work to get people out.

“There were some freak wickets on Monday night and that made it much easier on Tuesday trying to take eight wickets rather than 10.

“It was a hard-fought last innings and the guys did very well to toil for that long to get the job done in the end.

“Fair play to Wales, they batted pretty well but it was just a case of being patient.

“We were trying to contain them and they got away with a couple of shots but we knew that if we could get a couple of wickets, get some new batsmen at the crease and close up an end, then it would be very difficult for them.”

Ashur Morrison, Tahir Afridi (both 46) and Lintott made valuable contributions in Wiltshire’s first innings score of 262, while James Arney then produced a terrific spell with the ball as Wales came to the crease for the first time.

His figures of 4-46 helped bowl the visitors out for 158 and hand Wiltshire a first-innings lead of 104.

Wiltshire set about building a sizeable total in the second innings and opener Patrick Greishaber got things going with a fine knock of 64 before Lintott and Afridi led a middle-order onslaught.

Lintott scored 97 off 90 balls, falling agonisingly short of his ton, while Afridi was unbeaten on 69 when Young declared on 283-7 and a lead of close to 400.

Arney then seemed to have put Wiltshire on the cusp of victory with two wickets in the first over of Wales’ second innings, only for Ansell and Roberts to muster some stubborn resistance and give both sides a fight chance heading into the final day.