CAPTAIN Aaron Lee was left cursing the weather for the second week in a row after Purton suffered an agonising five-run Duckworth/Lewis defeat at home to Marshfield on Saturday.

Purton’s hopes of boosting their survival bid in WEPL Wiltshire had been hit by a washout against fellow strugglers Calne a week earlier, with rain causing their undoing again against Marshfield.

Having posted a score of 217, Purton had their visitors at 97-3 early in the 25th over of the reply, however, that is when the weather forced the players off the pitch, with Marshfield narrowly ahead of the par score.

“It was really frustrating. The game was really well balanced and one more wicket could have been enough for us,” said Purton skipper Lee. “Two overs before we went off, we were ahead, but when it’s that close, one boundary can change everything.

“The game was in a really interesting position and it’s just disappointing that we are the ones to come off on the wrong side of it.

“The day before, the forecast was rain from 3pm, but then it changed and on the morning of the game, it was pushed back to set in from 6pm, and that’s exactly what happened.

“They are difficult games to play but you just have to go out there with the mentality that you are going to play the full 100 overs.”

After being asked to bat first by Marshfield, Purton were swiftly into their stride and the efforts of Sizwe Masondo (83) and Elijah Samuel (64) saw them pass 150 for the loss of just one wicket.

However, Jeremy Bond (5-40) began to turn the tide for the visitors and Lee’s men collapsed to 217 all out, with none of the last seven batsmen reaching double figures.

Two wickets from Adam Woolford and Alex Duffell’s run-out checked the Marshfield reply following an opening stand of 71 but the visitors were just ahead of where they needed to be when rain brought the contest to a premature conclusion.

Lee added: “I would have bowled first if we had won the toss but I was really happy with the way we batted and to end up with a score of 217.

“We probably should have got a bit more as we did collapse a bit but I’d certainly have taken that at the start.

“We didn’t start well with the ball but we clawed it back nicely and the game was nicely poised before the rain came and took the result out of our hands.”

Elsewhere, Jake Goodwin took 5-32 for Swindon as their game at Great Bedwyn was abandoned. The hosts were dismissed for 157 but rain arrived before Alex Kill’s side could begin their reply.

It was a similar story for Royal Wootton Bassett as the wet weather denied them the chance of victory at Marlborough. Neilon Joseph took 4-34 as the hosts were bowled out for 138 but Bassett’s innings was six overs old when the game was called off.