ASANKA Vithanage’s fine five-wicket haul ensured Royal Wootton Bassett kept up their perfect start to the WEPL Wiltshire season with a third successive victory at Devizes.

The five-wicket win for Darren Beasant’s side sees them sit second in the early table, with leaders Chippenham and Warminster the only other teams to avoid defeat so far in 2018.

Devizes won the toss and elected to bat, but Vithanage (5-27) soon had them regretting that decision as they were bowled out for just 118 inside 34 overs. Akash Sharma also picked up three wickets.

Bassett struggled initially in reply, but a composed unbeaten 37 from Jordan Butler saw them home in the 34th over, finishing on 120-5.

Skipper Beasant said: “It looked a track and I wasn’t surprised at all when Tom (Grant, Devizes captain) chose to bat, but our boys were fantastic.

“Stepping up to the WEPL last season, it was clear that we needed to be better in the field. We have worked hard on that and over the first three weeks of this season, we are unrecognisable from the team of last season.

“Our bowling and fielding was first class. We got some early wickets and that always puts the pressure on.

“Akash always seems to get two or three early wickets every game, and Mark Lazenby bowled brilliant to give up just nine runs off six overs.

“Then Asanka and Charanveer Chahal put the pressure on and we got them out quite cheaply.

“I always think those low targets of 120 to 140 are hard to chase. You know the only way you will lose the game is if you get bowled out too, but then if your aren’t aggressive enough, you can find yourself on 20 after 20 overs.

“We judged it just right on Saturday.”

Elsewhere, a poor batting performance scuppered Purton’s bid to make it three wins from three as they were thumped by eight wickets at home by Warminster.

The hosts chose to bat after winning the toss, but collapsed to 7-5 before finally being dismissed for 75 in 31 overs.

Warminster needed just 73 balls of their reply to overhaul that total, finishing on 76-2.

There was also defeat for Swindon – their third of 2018 – as they lost by 67 runs at Marshfield.

Calum Burnstone’s 103 helped the hosts set a total of 201, but Swindon could not hold themselves together in reply as they were bowled out for 134.

Seven of the visiting batsmen got into double figures, but no one scored more than Marc Williamson’s 24.

Meanwhile in Premier Two Glos/Wilts, Lechlade also remain without a win this season after slipping to a third straight defeat, this time by seven wickets away at Cheltenham.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Brad Dial’s brilliant unbeaten 116 helped Lechlade post 262-7 off their 50 overs.

However, Cheltenham had a centurion of their own in the shape of Kieran Smith (114), and together with Peter Woodland (87), the hosts’ opening stand of 156 set them on their way to the target, which they eventually reached in the final over.

Freddie Martin (3-53) took all of the Cheltenham wickets to fall.