AN innings of stubborn resilience and concentration from Mark Flay saw Nationwide House complete their second consecutive win with a two-wicket victory over Devizes in Wilts One on Saturday.

Flay ground out 82 invaluable runs as Nationwide collapsed from 126-2 to 173-8 in chase of Devizes’ total of 177, but the diminutive opener stood firm to guide his side to the brink of success, before skying a catch to Pete Ross off Owen Burgess with four needed.

However, home captain Joe Perkins pulled his opposite number, Jon Couch, for a towering six over mid-wicket to reach the target with a little under an over to spare.

Earlier, Flay removed the only three Devizes batsmen to reach double figures.

But for a sensational innings of controlled aggression by Adam Croutear, whose 91 came from 109 balls and included three consecutive sixes off Andy Lewis, the visitors could have been skittled out for under 100.

Opening up, Adam Tooze and Steve Lewis bowled with unerring accuracy to taunt the batsmen into rash strokes, and after 10 overs Devizes were teetering on the edge at 17-4.

But Croutear brought composure to an otherwise panicky top and middle order, and with Ross and Couch ensured a competitive total at the interval.

Flay struck late on to remove all three as they tried to up the rate, and when he and Chris Cousens contributed 60 for the second wicket, the win appeared safe.

But Toby Mullins rattled through the middle order, claiming dangerman Jon Clarke for 19, to add nerves into the mix.

And in the wake of a wave of dismissals, Flay shepherded the remaining batsmen through before Perkins’ swipe over the leg side confirmed a vital early-season win.