Devon need to play more positively if they are going to beat Wiltshire in the three-day Unicorns Championship game starting at Sandford on Sunday (11am), writes Conrad Sutcliffe.

Devon's 32-run defeat by Herefordshire was a setback after they beat Wales first time out to go second in the Western Division. Devon need to finish in the top five to avoid being placed in a new Division Two planned for next season. Devon sit sixth in the table with four games to go.

There were times in the game when Devon eased off when they could and should have gone for the jugular, or were content to use up time.

Sidmouth's Alex Barrow is captain of the side with Fortfield team-mate Zac Bess his county number two.

Dave Tall, the county club's director of cricket, said getting the positive-versus-cautious balance right is never easy and is a work in progress that needs developing.

"There are times when you need to be more aggressive in the field, which we weren't on the first day against Herefordshire when we had them 83 for seven and they got way to make 193 all out," said Tall.

"We did not bat well in our first innings - 89 all out tells you that - but we worked hard when Hereford batted again to get them all out for 237.

"To score more than 300 batting last on wearing pitch that seemed to do something different every few overs was a tremendous achievement. You can't fault our effort in the second half.

"In a nine-session game you think there is always time to get back in the game, but it is not hard to see where we lost it. Herefordshire got too many in their first innings and we were all out for 89. The next time we have a side 80 for seven or 90 for eight we need to be at them and now allow their lower order time to settle."

Sidmouth spinner Max Hancock, who only bowled eight overs against Herefordshire, has been left out and replaced by batter James Burke in a re-worked squad.

Devon: A W R Barrow (Sidmouth), G B Allen (Torquay), Z G G Bess (Sidmouth), J E Burke (Plymouth), M W Thompson (St Fagans), W A White (Leek), J H G Degg (Torquay), J A Stephens (Taunton Deane), M P Skeemer (Cornwood), H M Whitlock, T J R Codd (both Bovey), E W O Middleton (Exeter).

Wiltshire: W J Wade, J Goodwin, U A Qureshi, E G C Young, N J Clark, B C Dawson, T I Morton, T G Afridi, L A Evans, J M King, W J Harries. 12th: J B Lintott.

Umpires: R W Tolchard, R G B Allen.