DEVIZES sit dangerously close to the Wiltshire Division relegation zone after another defeat in an inconsistent season.

Purton inflicted their fifth loss of the year on Saturday and Sri Lankan star Nipuna Rathnayake admits his main aim this summer is to help the team avoid the drop.

"If you go down it is not good for any cricket club because players will go and you will find yourself in a bad position," said the all rounder.

"We can't win the championship, but if we win two more games then we will be okay, and all I am thinking about is playing well so we don't go down.

"I am confident we can do it, we had a lot of players missing on Saturday because they were on holiday."

Rathnayake confessed it was his worst performance for Devizes this year, as he went for a duck after stand-in captain Richard Wright (78) and Jim Langan (36) got the hosts off to an impressive start.

But once they departed, only Barney Read (14) and Jon Couch (15) reached double figures.

"It was a close game but we are all disappointed because nobody likes losing at home," said Rathnayake.

Owen Burgess (3-27), Pat Legge (1-32), Couch (1-49) and John Moore (1-47) claimed the Purton wickets as Devizes tried in vain to defend their total.

Now, top of the table Wootton Bassett, who won the first clash by 31 runs in June, visit Devizes on Saturday, but Rathnayake isn't concerned about league positions.

"It doesn't matter where they are because we are still both playing cricket," he said. "If the whole team plays together we can win."