Swindon won a tight encounter away at Malmesbury by two wickets to maintain their promotion push in a low-scoring match where the result was in doubt right up until the end.

Malmesbury batted first and slumped to 41-4 off 16 overs.

Reece-Jones and Pearce-Smith tried to hold the innings together over the next few overs, but Barrett, in his last over of a fine spell, had Reece-Jones brilliantly caught by Rourke in the slips, to finish with figures of 4-29 off 13 overs.

Lester and Pearce-Smith then added 26 for the sixth wicket, before Baker took his third catch in removing Pearce-Smith off Zohaib.

Liam Tucker then ran out Lester for 15, and the hosts were back in trouble at 94-7 off 37 overs.

Horton decided the best form of defence was attack, and it paid off as he smashed a quick-fire 39 to lead Malmesbury to a respectable score of 141-9 off their 45 overs.

Swindon started cautiously, and lost their first wicket in the second over when Nichols was caught by Hurst off Horton.

Skipper John Baden joined Darren Rourke, and the pair looked comfortable as they reached 36 off 10 overs.

They proceeded to 58, when Rourke was adjudged lbw to Majumder for a patient 27.

Matt Baker joined his skipper and they took the score to 100, before Baden was given out lbw for 43.

Tucker was then unluckily run out at the non-striker's end after a firm drive by Baker, and this seemed to set the alarm bells ringing.

Baker was caught short in attempting a second run, and Mark Watts was caught and bowled by Gaunt in the next over, as Swindon slumped to 114-6 off 37 overs.

Things went from bad to worse when Paul Baden was out for one, and Staff was run out in the next over.

This left Swindon still needing 19 runs to win with only two wickets remaining.

But the big-hitting duo of Zohaib and Willoughby allayed any fears by smashing their way to victory with Zohaib making 15 off 10 balls and Willoughby nine off seven to see Swindon home with 15 balls to spare.