WILTSHIRE got their Unicorns Knockout Trophy campaign off to a winning start on Sunday with a 46-run success at home to Hertfordshire.

The visitors won the toss at Warminster and put Wiltshire into bat and Michael Coles’ men got off to a flying start as openers Tom Morton (56) and Uzi Qureshi (28) put on 83 for the first wicket. Morton was particularly aggressive, with his half-century coming up in just 23 balls and included five fours and five sixes.

The introduction of the spinners gave Hertfordshire some control as Wiltshire failed to press home their advantage. Having passed the 100 mark for the loss of just one wicket, they would have been disappointed to post a total below 200.

Ed Young (32) and skipper Coles (44) did hang around long enough to give Wiltshire something to defend, although no other batsman reached double figures as they were eventually bowled out for 190 in 36.5 overs.

Jamie Southgate was the pick of the bowlers for Hertfordshire, taking 5-19, while Syed Kazmi claimed 3-39.

The visitors got off to a steady start in reply but the introduction of spin once again turned the tide for the bowling team as the final seven wickets fell in the time that just 34 runs were scored.

The efforts of Wiltshire’s Young (3-34), Joe King (3-29) and Jake Lintott (3-26) saw Hertfordshire dismissed for 144, with Ben Frazer top scoring for the visitors with 40 as one of only three batsmen to pass 20.

Wiltshire will be hoping to make it back-to-back victories at the start of the competition when they travel to take on Bedfordshire at Dunstable on Sunday (11am start).

Bedfordshire have won both of their Knockout Trophy matches so far this summer, including a five-wicket triumph at Buckinghamshire last weekend, and sit on top of the early Group Four table.

Wiltshire team v Bedfordshire: Michael Coles (Corsham, captain), Tahir Afridi (Henley), Michael Bates (Wokingham, wicketkeeper), Steve Bullen (Corsham), Andy Carroll (Westbury), Joe King (Corsham), Jake Lintott (Clevedon), Ashur Morrison (Corsham), Tom Morton (Ealing), Jake Roberts (Potterne), Ed Young (Potterne). 12th man: Man Billy Cookson (Chippenham).