AFTER looking likely winners when Kevin Merris and Darren Thomson were enjoying a productive fourth wicket partnership, the Tenbury lower order was unable to hold out against some intimidating bowling.

They were all out off the fifth ball of the final over to suffer a 19 run defeat at the hands of the Division Four leaders of the Crusader Worcestershire County League at Penlu.

The visitors were in trouble at the start of their innings. Only opener C Millis was able to cope with the early attack of Jim Yeomans and Joe Reynolds. After 15 overs their innings appeared to be in ruins with the score standing at 53-6.

The lower order offered Millis (41) good support and with the numbers nine and ten scoring over 20 apiece, managed to get the score up to an unlikely 179 before the final wicket went down in the 42nd over.

Reynolds finished with 4-57 off 16 steady overs and received good support from Yeomans 2-41 off 12 and Aaron Morris 3-41 off 9. Special mention should be made of the catches taken by the home side, including three beauties by 14-year-old Grant Duffy.

Tenbury were in trouble against the aggressive Claverley opening attack, only Tom Rawlings (12) offering Merris much assistance as the score slipped to 49-3. Thompson (47) then joined Merris (43) and the pair took the score to 136 before the opening attack were brought back and made the breakthrough.

Tenbury then lost their last six wickets for 24 runs as the opening bowlers took nine wickets between them. The bottom-of-the-table first team fixture was called off due to heavy rain at Claverley.

This weekend the first team travel to Upton.