WOOTTON Bassett will look to hold on to top spot in Wiltshire League Division One tomorrow when they travel to third placed Urchfont.

Darren Beasant’s side returned to the summit last weekend after their 10-wicket success over Collingbourne saw them overhaul then leaders Malmesbury.

But the Bassett skipper knows that his side face a tough test of their title ambitions against a team looking to bounce back from a one-run loss at Swindon Nalgo.

“We know that Urchfont will be a handful,” Beasant said. “They were runners up last year and they beat us both home and away.

“Urchfont also have two of the best new ball bowlers around so we know that we face a tough challenge.”

Although wary of the Urchfont seamers, Beasant said that he would be happy if his side were to bat first at the Newsyde Ground.

“I’d be happy either way (batting or bowling first),” Beasant said. “If we were asked to have a bat first we know that we would have to get around 260, we would need to apply ourselves see off the new ball.

“Last week we knew that we would have to try and get as many points as we possibly could and that is why we wanted to restrict Collingbourne and then reach that total without losing many wickets.”

Bassett will be without Jack Dymoke, Jack Paish and Mark Vincent for the trip to Devizes, but Beasant is set to call Pete Ellis up from the seconds following his unbeaten 125 for the seconds last weekend, while off-spinner Lee Stevens is available before moving to America.

“Lee has been an unbelievable servant to the club and if his last appearance this year would be to help us get us over the line against Urchfont that would be fantastic,” Beasant added.

Bassett will be hoping that Swindon Civil Service will be able to maintain their recent good form when they host second-placed Malmesbury.

Civil Service beat Beasant’s men by two wickets a fortnight ago and followed that up with a four wicket success at Hinton Charterhouse.

Malmesbury, following their defeat to Bassett at the end of May, have won their following three matches, but their 17 points against Box last Saturday was not enough to remain at the summit.