PURTON vice-captain Tom Bowler has admitted that confidence is low among his side but is hoping they can re-group for what is an important game against Calne this weekend.

The PCG-based club have suffered three straight defeats in the Wiltshire Division, the most recent coming last weekend as they fell to a 68-run loss at bottom side Malmesbury.

Second-from-bottom Calne sit just one place and six points below Purton in the league table so a win this weekend for the hosts could put some breathing room between themselves and the bottom two.

With skipper Aaron Lee on holiday, Bowler will be taking the leadership role this weekend and knows how important it is to stop the slump.

“It is disappointing that we lost last weekend when we really should have won,” he said.

“We’ll just have to regroup. We went to training on Wednesday night and worked really hard and we’re now just preparing ourselves for the game on Saturday.

“It always affects your confidence but all we can do is re-group and just charge forward.

“It is very important for us to get the win and put some distance between ourselves and Calne, especially with the restructuring of the league next year.”

Purton have struggled for availability this season and has been one of the reasons for their inability to find any consistency but Bowler is hoping the arrival of opening batsman Sam Shelford will help ease their problems.

The 23-year-old has opened the batting for the Royal Air Force and has played age-group cricket for Northamptonshire.

“We haven’t had the same side on the park this season, which doesn’t help,” explained Bowler. “If we get a group of players who make themselves available every week, then it makes it easier.

Meanwhile, Marlborough take on Trowbridge at home in a top of the table clash on Saturday and will be looking to consolidate their first-place position.

Marlborough captain Arran Dickinson said: “I have no doubt that Trowbridge will be out to get their title challenge back on course after having lost their last two games by over 60 runs.

“This will make them dangerous opponents this weekend.”