A NINE-run defeat at Amblecote and Wollaston saw Avoncroft Cricket Club's First XI get their Worcestershire County League division four campaign off to a disappointing start last Saturday.

Batting proved difficult on a rain-affected track, as Croft reduced their hosts to 55-3. Pete Jukes (3-16) was the early star with the ball, taking the first three wickets.

Following a short rain delay, which reduced the match to 48 overs per side, Paul Athey's side's performance in the field fell away dramatically.

The bowlers made batting too easy by serving up a series of bad balls, and the fielding, while sometimes inspired, was generally lacklustre.

Athey returned to the attack to take two further wickets but Amblecote finished on 211-5.

The visitors, boasting one of the best batting sides in the league, were still confident of chasing down the target, and started brightly with Jukes (22) and Chris Townsend (31) looking good.

Once the two openers were dismissed, Dave James took up the mantle, and despite losing a couple more wickets, Croft looked on top at 170-4 with ten overs remaining.

However, when James was caught at slip for 82, Croft's remaining batsmen found it increasingly tough in the rapidly deteriorating light.

They continued to push for victory, but without the help of floodlights, needed some luck to reach their target. Unfortunately, the luck remained firmly with the hosts. Firstly, Rich Doodey was run out at the non-strikers end after a Jon Bird drive was deflected onto the stumps. Then the inspired Amblecote fielders took a couple of superb catches to dismiss Bird and Rich Sinclair.

Fittingly, it was Hamblett, the only bowler to give Croft any trouble all day, who took the final wicket to finish with figures of 5-48 as Croft slumped to 202 all out.