AN unbeaten 102 from Swindon’s Jon Sore was not enough to prevent his side slipping to a 52-run defeat at the hands of Burbage & Easton Royal.

Sore hit his third highest score for Swindon as he helped them to recover from the early loss of openers Marc Williamson, out for a golden duck, and Matt Drakeley (8).

However, nobody was able to stay with Sore as Swindon slipped to 201-9 in their chase of Burbage and Easton’s score of 253.

“We’re not panicking,” said captain Andrew Staff. “I have said from the start that I think we are a good side.

“We just haven’t executed our skills as well as we could do.

“John batted really well and helped to keep the innings together.

“He needed a few people to bat around him but that didn’t happen, but it is a great landmark for him.

“It was a reasonable target, I wouldn’t say it was massive, the overseas made his debut and he scored 120 not out, which held their innings together.

“Although 250 was probably 20 too many we didn’t think the game was past us before we batted.”

The visitors won the toss and despite losing opening batsman Sourish Mukherjee for just 10 runs off the bowling of Tom Codling (1-57), they soon hammered home the advantage.

Dave Cope (75) and Luke Woodcock (113*) put on a second wicket stand of 100 before Cope was out lbw off the bowling of Will Nichols (1-35).

Woodcock went on to secure his century in his first game for Burbage as the visitors racked up 253-5 from their 50 overs.

The chase got off to the worst possible start as Williamson went off the first ball from James Lavis (2-29), who also picked up the scalp of Drakeley to send him back to the pavilion with just eight runs to his name.

Sore, though, was able to grab the Swindon innings by the scruff of its neck and hit 102 off just 134 balls to give the home side a glimmer of hope.

However, Paul Paginton (30) was the only man who was able to rack up a respectable total next to him but when he got out kicking his own stumps the match was all but over for Swindon and, with Darren Freegard (3-52) taking care of the lower order, the hosts were only able to score a valiant 201-9.