OLD Elizabethans crashed to a disappointing defeat in a low-scoring Birmingham League Division Two fixture against Water Orton at the Memorial Ground as once again their poor batting let them down in a game they looked destined to win at one stage.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch that looked as if it would offer some assistance to accurate bowling.

OEs got off to a promising start when Jamie Alford (1-20) had skipper Hunt caught off the first ball of his spell.

Sperring and Neil Lawley then added 21 before the latter was bowled by Stuart Lockwood (2-33).

The next pair added 44 for the third wicket before Stuart Phillips took the first of his three victims. As the OEs attack seized the initiative, wickets began to tumble cheaply with the onslaught being led by Ollie Griffiths (4-34).

In the course of the next 16 overs, five wickets fell for just 22 runs, leaving Water Orton at 91-8.

However, after a quiet start, overseas player Sharma started to dispatch the OEs attack to all parts of the ground.

His 50 came off 48 balls, having spent his first 27 balls scoring just one run, and he took the visitors’ score to a more respectable 140-9.

The home side got off to a poor start as their first two wickets fell with the total on 12. However, Ben Donaldson (30) and Chris Pearman (18) set about repairing the damage. Pearman’s dismissal with the score on 56 marked the start of an inexplicable collapse.

The last seven wickets fell for the addition of just 25 runs, leaving the home side dismissed for the meagre total of 81, 69 runs short of a target that should have been more than obtainable in the circumstances.

Orton’s Lesroy Irish finished with the very impressive figures of 7-21 off 12 overs, including a triple-wicket maiden.

Old Elizabethans visit bottom-placed Aston Unity today where anything short of victory would leave them staring at the relegation zone.

The OEs second team’s rainravaged season continued when they visited Old Hill.

The heavy rain deprived them of much-needed points in their battle against relegation.

The ground at Old Hill was, at best, borderline playable. The whole outfield was waterlogged and very soft, and the hastily prepared pitch was always going to offer assistance to the bowlers.

Steve Burgoyne won the toss and made the easy decision to insert the hosts, but the OEs attack was off-colour and never really threatened.

An opening stand of 49 was finally broken when Pestridge was well caught by Chris Dale in the gully. Shoahib went soon after when he was brilliantly stumped down the leg-side by Payne for 37.

Martin Johnson claimed 2-20 and was well supported by Dale and Burgoyne (4-34).

Although OEs had clawed their way back into contention, they could not have expected the late onslaught from Old Hill captain Steve Derrun (31) who led his side to 189-8.

The visitors got off to a good start when Dale and Chris Hopwood put on a 32-run opening partnership.

A steady stand between Jon and Matthew Sprague (37no) saw off the hardness of the new ball.

Three wickets fell in quick succession as Jon Sprague (20), Burgoyne and Payne all went.

Payne’s dismissal proved to be the last meaningful action as the rain arrived in the 35th over with the visitors placed just short of their first batting point.