WILTSHIRE Cricket team manager Neil Shardlow is hoping to build on last year’s success and has his sights set on silverware this season.

His side have started pre-season well and retained the Marlborough Cup on Sunday when they beat Berkshire by 11 runs.

Wiltshire, captained by Ed Young in the absence of the injured Michael Coles, were put in to bat and recovered from the loss of Tom Morton off the first ball of the match to score 213 all out.

In reply, Berkshire were well placed at 175-5 but lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs.

Wiltshire’s competitive campaign begins on Sunday against Wales MC as they travel to Newport for a group match in the Unicorns Knockout Trophy.

With fitness doubts over Coles and Tahir Afridi, Wiltshire have named a 14-man squad and Shardlow is hoping to see a steady development from his side.

“The aim is always to do well and we want to get through the rounds,” said Shardlow, whose side narrowly missed out on becoming the kings of minor counties cricket last summer after losing to Staffordshire in the Championship final.

“We are in a pretty strong group, so it will always be tough.

“We did remarkably well in both forms of the game last year, an amazing season really.

“If we were to bring something home, either the Trophy or the Championship, then we would be absolutely over the moon but there is a lot of cricket to be played.

“We have got to keep our feet on the ground but we have got a strong squad and we want to do well.”

Shardlow has secured the services of former England U19 wicketkeeper Michael Bates for this season and he is excited to see the former Hampshire player in action.

“We’ve signed Michael and he played in one of the warm-up games against Gloucestershire,” added Shardlow.

“He didn’t score many with the bat but he kept OK.

“It wasn’t an easy pitch to keep on because it was so wet and was bouncing three times before it got to him.

“I’m sure once we get on harder grounds we will see the quality of Michael.”

Batsman Neil Clark also has high ambitions for a strong 2015.

“Obviously after such a good year it is always going to be hard to follow up,” said Clark.

“After the year previous we could only ever do better, so it is going to be tough to follow up what we did last year but I think it is important to show that we are going in the right direction.

“We wanted to win all our warm-up games but we lost against Dorset, although we had a few people missing.

“Personally, I would like to follow on from last year, I had a good season and I would like to try and make a few more big scores and try and get myself in with one of the first class counties.

“I think as a team, we want to go one better than last year.

“Last year we had quite a tough group, especially in the three-day games, and I think this year we probably have an easier group than last year.

“They are all going to be tough games, but they are all teams that we think we are capable of beating.

“If we perform to our best I don’t think there are many teams that will beat us.”