BARNT Green CC First XI's miserable early season form showed little sign of letting up last Saturday with a losing draw at home to fellow strugglers Knowle and Dorridge.

Green still find themselves rooted to the bottom of Birmingham and District Premier League premier division, 21 points behind Saturday's opponents.

In a rain affected game, Knowle and Dorridge posted 155-6 from 34 overs with Gavin Haynes the pick of the bowlers.

Warwickshire's Dan Dalton (49) and Chris Howell (50 not out) batted with great authority on a far from perfect pitch.

After a decent start in reply, Barnt Green's Richard Hall and Matt Dallaway were seen off from one end and just as the home side mounted a steady assault, the in-form Simon Froggatt was given out LBW.

Green's cause was helped by some gutsy batting from Richard Illingworth, Owain Hopkins and Zaff Ahmed.

They had to weather some deadly bowling from Leicestershire's Charlie Dagnall, who ended up with four wickets.

But the hosts failed to recover from these body blows and ended on 100-6 to secure the draw and four points.

For captain Lyndon Jones, the result was typical of his side's season so far.

He said: "I don't think we played as well as they did but we had the stuffing knocked out of us when we batted.

"I suppose it sums up our League campaign so far. We just need some dry weather to practice, keep plugging away and the luck will have to change sooner or later."

Barnt Green entertain Wolverhampton this Saturday and face Knowle and Dorridge in their re-arranged National Club Championship game at home on Sunday.