SWINDON bounced back from their defeat at Cinderford last weekend with a crushing 104 run victory over Malmesbury at the County Ground.

Swindon skipper Jon Baden won the toss and had no hesitation to bat first on a typically batsmen friendly surface.

Australian Darren Rourke and Will Nichols opened the batting, and it was Rourke who immediately began smashing Malmesbury's seamers to all parts.

The pair scored 69 in the opening 10 overs, with Rourke bringing up his half century off only 39 deliveries.

The introduction of spinners McNeill and Shellard to the attack immediately paid dividends as Nichols was bowled by McNeil for 19. Rourke followed the next over, bowled by Shellard for 56, and when McNeil enticed John Baden into a false shot, Swindon had suddenly slumped to 86-3.

Matt Baker and Darren Beasant were now at the wicket, and the pair began to rebuild the innings.

The Malmesbury spinners had a stranglehold on the scoring, particularly against Beasant, but at the other end Baker was soon finding his form.

With the score on 133-3 from 30 overs, Swindon needed to press on and Baker began hitting the ball to all parts as he dominated the partnership.

The pair had put on 98, before Beasant was bowled by Eddington for 25, but Baker was joined by Paul Baden and these two put on an exhibition of big hitting in the closing overs.

Baker eventually reached a brilliant century off only 86 deliveries, before being stumped by Jepson, however Baden continued to smash the ball to the boundary and finished unbeaten on 44 off only 29 balls, as Swindon completed their innings on 263 for 5.

This was a tough target for Malmesbury, and their cause was made more difficult when Willoughby had Huist caught by Rourke for 4, and with Nichols also bowling tightly Malmesbury reached only 24-1 off ten overs.

Horton and Newman began to play a few shots and John Baden turned to spinners Stoddard and Zohaib.

The Malmesbury pair had accelerated the score to 80 off 20 overs, before Staff took a sharp chance behind the stumps to dismiss Horton off Zohaib.

McNeil was run out for 3 and when Stoddard trapped Pearce-Smith lbw without scoring, Malmesbury were in deep trouble at 97-4.

Only Newman was holding the visitors innings together as he passed his half century, but the run rate required was now well over seven runs per over.

The Swindon spinners then accounted for Gould, Sparrow and Ward in quick succession to leave Malmesbury on 141-7, and the visitors chances diminished completed when Zohaib bowled Newman for an excellent 74.

Eddington was stumped by Staff and Rourke claimed the last wicket as Malmesbury finished all out for 153.