SATURDAY provided disappointment for Cookley whose firsts and seconds both came unstuck at the hands of Astwood Bank.

The club's slow start to the Worcestershire League Division Two season continued as the first team could only muster 144-8 against promotion-chasing Bank with J Summers taking 5-45.

And the visitors cruised to an easy eight-wicket victory in Wyre Forest as A Clayton's unbeaten 59 and A Robinson (44 not out) steered their side home.

Cookley 144-8, Astwood Bank 145-2.

The seconds are still without a league win and had a tall order of chasing Bank's 219-7 which included 94 from A Williams.

Cookley made a disastrous start to their reply, losing three wickets for just one run and sliding to 9-5 at one stage.

But Adam Matthews(31) provided stern resistance throughout and gave the total some respectability, together with the efforts of Ian Goodman (38) and Paul Fereday (37).

When Matthews went with four overs to go, the tail crumbled and Cookley were all out for 130. J Mardling (8-37) was the chief destroyer.

Astwood Bank 219-7, Cookley 2nds 130.