NATIONWIDE’S batsmen need to back up their bowlers, according to stand-in skipper David Coates.

The works team lost by four wickets to Devizes in their opening WEPL Wiltshire Division fixture last weekend, having only managed 114 in the first innings, and vice-captain Coates is targeting immediate improvement tomorrow when his team makes the trip to Calne.

“With Russ (Arkley, club captain) easing himself back into cricket with a game in the twos, I get the honour of leading the boys again this week at Calne where it will be all about making sure we give our bowling attack the support they deserve,” he said.

“They got us back in the game against Devizes, especially the evergreen Mark Morris and Ant Pettifer, despite us being 30 short with the bat, and that was the story too many times last year so we need to rectify that this week and get an early win under our belts.

“We have a few changes, including a club debut for Ed Olley and the return of Dom O’Neill, both exciting players and I’ll be hoping they take their form from nets into a game situation.”