SWINDON captain Liam Tucker has called on his batsmen to show some application at the crease after they were beaten by 43 runs at Warminster in the Glos/Wilts Division.

Having dismissed the hosts for 201, Tucker was left disappointed by the efforts with the bat in reply as they found themselves 64-7.

And while the County Ground side found some useful runs late in the order as they were bowled out for 158, the Swindon skipper knows that his team must start to improve.

“In 50 over cricket you look for your top order to bat through the opening 25-30 overs,” Tucker said. “But we were too loose with the bat.

“We had a reasonable target to chase down and we should have been able to do it.

“This is not the first time we have struggled with the bat, we did it against Tewkesbury earlier in the season and it is something we are working on.”

Swindon got off to a decent start at Warminster with Dean Williamson dismissing Nick Hembury for a second-ball duck to leave the hosts 10-1.

Despite a second-wicket stand of 49 between Tom Weaver (41) and Des Kruger (29), Swindon took wickets at regular intervals to remove their hosts with 20 balls to spare.

“We bowled pretty well,” Tucker said. “We have been doing pretty well with the ball this season - we are bowling as a unit.

“To get them out for just over 200 was a good effort, maybe we bowled a few too many wides, but over all I was pleased.

“But we have to start better with the bat, and I include myself in that.”

With openers Marc Williamson and Paul Paginton, as well as Krishna Gopinath back in the pavilion with score only on 17, Jon Sore, Adam Tucker, Matt Kidd and Liam Tucker soon followed.

Although Dan Baker (35), Danny Harris (25*) and Michael Wilson (18) offered resistance Swindon were dismissed for 158.

“We can’t blame the pitch, it was fine - it was the same one the County had used the Sunday beforehand,” the captain added.