SWINDON slumped yet again with a five-wicket defeat to Devizes that leaves them perilously near the foot of the Glos/Wilts Division One 1st XI table.

Having elected to have first use of what looked an easy-paced wicket Swindon needed a competitive total.

But Devizes' opening bowling pair of Vooght and Banham bowled with discipline early on, and the Swindon opening pair of Paul Baden and Brett Sydney-Smith found runs hard to come by.

Both found their feet before Sydney-Smith was bowled for 23 with the score on 40.

John Baden joined his brother Paul at the wicket and the pair progressed the score to 57 before Paul was well caught at mid-off.

With Devizes' leg spinner Muse enjoying a fine spell, the left-handed Matt Baker was promoted to No 4 in an attempt to disrupt proceedings.

However, when he was run out by a direct hit, Swindon found themselves 80-3 off 28 overs.

John Baden almost immediately followed, mis-timing a drive and when Beasant and Patel fell in quick sucession Swindon had crumbled to 99-6 off 36 overs.

Willoughby and Fox offered little resistance, but Paul Stoddard and Andy Staff did, and took Swindon to 136 before Staff was bowled for 20.

The Swindon innings closed on 141-9 after their allotted 50 overs.

The Devizes reply began slowly with a committed fielding display backing up fine spells from Stinchcombe and Willoughby.

Stinchcombe in particular was almost unplayable at times.

The breakthrough finally came in the fifth over thanks to a stunning catch from Sydney-Smith after Langan had nicked an outswinger from Stinchcombe.

Willoughby removed Stobbard in the 10th over caught and bowled, while Stinchcombe accounted for Ross, again caught behind.

With Devizes 31-3, Swindon appeared to have their noses in front.

A partnership of 32 between skipper Colyer and Vooght saw the score to 63 before Willoughby accounted for Vooght leg before.

The lanky paceman then bowled Legge two overs later to leave Devizes in trouble at 74-5, and Swindon seemed on the way to a remarkable victory.

But Hickey and skipper Colyer steadied the ship for the hosts, scoring off the bad deliveries.

Skipper Beasant rang the changes in the hope of achieving another breakthrough, but the Devizes pair proved up to the challenge and completed a comfortable victory with nine overs to spare.

Swindon's second string thrashed Devizes by 150 runs at the County Ground, recording their third successive victory.

However the third team were defeated by Bathford.

Kevin Thompson's fourth string were victors in the reverse fixture.