DROITWICH Spa's big day out ended in disappointment as they lost their WISE Communities UK Twenty20 semi-final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
Spa were representing the Wales and West, the North and the Midlands as they travelled down to the home of Hampshire cricket for the final.
But they lost to eventual champions Welwyn Garden City, who play in the Home Counties League, in the second semi-final of the day by 57 runs.
Captain Steven Walsh won the toss and asked the Hertfordshire side to bat first with Spa making a great start.
Damon Garrif bowled tightly and Mike Rogers picked up the first wicket in his opening over to leave City on 12-1.
Garrif delivered his four overs straight through and finished with tidy figures of 0-23.
The introduction of Gareth Thomas paid off as his first ball bowled the remaining opening batsman M James for a quick-fire 20.
Anthony Small then showed his worth to the side as a brilliant catch in the deep put Spa in the box seat at 52-3 from seven overs.
Thomas' quality again rewarded him with his third wicket and Spa's fourth as he bowled Tyler for one to again lift the travelling supporters but a fifth-wicket stand of 50 put Welwyn Garden back into the game.
Rogers came back to bowl his last over and picked up the wicket of Skeggs for 18 but White batted through for a match-winning 71 not out to give Spa a total of 137 to chase.
Spa were quietly confident but got off to the worst start as the top order were all dismissed quickly.
Gary Cartwright had a leading edge to mid-off and was comfortably caught before Garrif was caught on the mid-wicket boundary.
Walsh went in far too early for his liking and looked to settle the side down but when Ian Cottrill was run out after a battling 20, Spa were in trouble on 27-3.
Their skipper soon followed to leave Droitwich on 30-4 but Rich Ferley and Andrew Fletcher did well to slow the game down and rebuild.
But when Ferley was poorly adjudged lbw, Spa's hopes were fading fast.
Rogers made nine before he too fell lbw and Phil Thomas showed great heart as he came into bat with a dislocated shoulder following a diving stop earlier in the game. He was eventually caught on the mid-wicket boundary.
Fletcher continued to bat sensibly and was rewarded with 34 not out, including four fours.
Gareth Thomas went for one and Small for a golden duck, while Dan Garbett showed glimpses of future promise in a mature innings of four as Spa were all out for a disappointing 80.
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