NEIL Clark feels that Wiltshire must be more disciplined if they are to stand a chance of progressing out of the group stages in the Unicorns Knockout Trophy.

The county slumped to a 105-run defeat at Suffolk last weekend and face the daunting task of welcoming Bedfordshire to Warminster on Sunday.
Bedfordshire will arrive at Sambourne Road in fine form after their nine-wicket success over Hertfordshire, where a double-century from George Thurstance, led them home when replying to the visitors’ 386-3 with four-and-a-half overs to spare.

However, Clark, who top scored for Ed Young’s troops with 51, believes that this is the strongest one-day Wiltshire side he has been part of.
“When you have got people like Wes (Durston, who was playing county cricket for Derbyshire last season) coming in, you know that you have got a strong team,” said Clark.

“We are all similar kind of players – we are aggressive, and we have got a good chance of beating both Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

“But we have to be more disciplined. When you lose wickets like we did (Wiltshire were 19-4 in replying to Suffolk’s 267-8), it was always going to be difficult.

“The result was disappointing. We thought that it was a good wicket and we probably leaked 40 runs more than we should have done.

“We can’t do that on Sunday, the bowlers have to try and limit the number of four-balls.

“If they do that, and we bat better than we did then we have got a good chance.”

Against Suffolk, Wiltshire paid the price for a top-order batting collapse as they attempted to chase down the home side’s 267-8.

The hosts were indebted to opener Martyn Cull, whose 93 from 127 balls anchored their innings.

Ben Shepperson added 32 and Tom Rash 22, while skipper Adam Mansfield (28) and Matt Salisbury (33 not out) added to the tally.

For the visitors, James Arney and Andy Carroll both took two wickets each.

The reply was hampered by the bowling of Salisbury, who removed Wiltshire’s top three of  Durston, Tom Morton and Will Wade, none of whom reached double figures, while skipper Young went for a seven-ball duck to leave the visitors in trouble at 19-4.

Mike Coles (16) and Clark (51) put up some resistance, but other than 44 from Ashur Morrison, few other batsmen were able to make an impact as they subsided to 162 all out in the 33rd over.