EARLY-SEASON form, if such a phrase is applicable, is traditionally well avoided as a marker for a side’s quality.

After one highly unimpressive opening day defeat and one abandonment, Wootton Bassett could easily be mistaken as the Glos/Wilts strugglers of 2010.

But ahead of their trip to Rylands Way to face Mark Vincent’s Bassett tomorrow, Swindon captain Liam Tucker has reiterated how complacency must not seep into his team’s display as they look to build on their demolition of Marshfield with a second win of the campaign.

Tucker, despite his relative infancy as a captain, is all too aware of the dangers posed by an electric young Bassett batting line-up, and insists careful planning and clever strategy can all be rendered useless should his teammates fail to apply themselves fully to the task in hand.

“We must not be complacent and, to be honest, when you’re this early in a season it is pretty foolish to try and say which teams are going to find it hard going this year,” he said.

“It is silly to guess at that. Bassett have a very good batting line-up between three and five and they always seem to play well against us.”

The heavens are expected to smile on the region’s cricketers this weekend, and Tucker is hopeful of a repeat performance of the comprehensive defeat of Marshfield two weeks ago.

With the season stalling in the damp, momentum will be key for any successful side over the course of the next four months, and the Swindon skipper is desperate for his outfit to build up speed and confidence quickly.

Guarding against the explosive talents of Sam Lawro, Joe Lukens and Luke Bradley-Leach will be crucial in doing so, but Tucker stressed the importance of starting strongly - whether it be with the ball or the bat.

“Both sides are always very up for playing each other. It’s a big local derby and it’s always a good game,” he said.

“Bassett have a good batting strip at their place and, however the game unfolds, we will have to get into it early on.”