WILTSHIRE team manager Neil Shardlow is looking for an improved performance from his side this weekend as they look to banish the memory of back-to-back defeats.

After a comprehensive defeat to reigning Unicorns Championship champions and current Western Division leaders Berkshire, the county let a commanding position against Devon slip last week to suffer a six-wicket loss at South Wilts.

Now, as Wiltshire prepare to host Cheshire, who climbed to second in the table following their 27-run success over Wales, at Devizes for three days starting Sunday, Shardlow is keen to see more from his players.

“Up until the Berkshire match, we had gone five games without defeat in the Championship and that stretched back into last season,” the county chief said.

“Against Berkshire, we can’t complain about the result – they are a decent side, but I was very disappointed by our loss to Devon.

“Too many of our batsmen are getting in, scoring 30 or 40 and then getting out – you are not going to win matches like that.

“We need one or two of them to take responsibility to go on and score a big hundred.

“We should have batted Devon out of the game, then you have to give credit to the brothers (Josh and Zac Bess) to lead Devon home.”

As well as looking to end Wiltshire’s run of two defeats, Shardlow is looking to end a personal 28-year hoodoo against Cheshire.

“I don’t remember being involved in win against Cheshire,” the team manager said, who made his county debut in 1989. “We have beaten them in that period, but not when I have been involved.”

Wiltshire: Ed Young (Potterne, capt), Tahir Afridi (Henley), James Arney (Cosham), Steve Bullen (Corsham), Neil Clark (Potterne), Billy Cookson (Trowbridge, wk), Jake Goodwin (Swindon), Joe King (Corsham), Jake Lintott (Clevedon), Ashur Morrison (Corsham), Will Wade (South Wilts).