EVERYTHING finally fell into place for struggling Stourbridge at Stratford-upon-Avon last Saturday.

Stour notched up a 53-run victory as opener Tarryck Gabriel smashed a fine century.

Stratford opener Dane Kirby not only delayed Stour’s victory but almost took the games away.

Put into bat at the unique Swans Nets venue, Stour’s opening pair of Alex Bingham and Gabriel made a solid start. The unhappy Bingham had to walk judged lbw for 15 off Perry Derrick (1-46) with the score on 48 in the 12th over.

Gabriel and Zain Ul-Hassan made the most of the fine start putting on 94 off 114 balls and upping the run-rate to just under five per over.

The pace of Ben Pigott (6-48) bought the down fall of Ul-Hassan eventually edging a ball to the keeper for 40, but Gabriel at the other end on 52 was looking threatening.

His precocious innings came to end in the 34th over. Having reached the ton with a six, Gabriel was caught and bowled by Pigott for 104 off 100 balls that included 13 fours and two sixes.

With the score on 165-3 in the 34th over, Stour were set for a winning total. But it was not to be as the lower order crumbled, adding only 52 more runs were added to leave the opposition with the chance for a victory.

In reply, a wicket off the fourth ball from Umar Khalid started the damage by clipping the off stump of Robb West for a duck.

Then first-change, Jitesh Jivan-Patel (4-21), destroyed the Stratford top order. He had John Price caught for 13, David Bailey lbw for one, Pigott caught for five, and Derrick caught behind for five.

Opener Kirby, however, kept Stratford hopes alive by low risk batting. Initially he was accompanied by the keeper Chris Calcott as they moved the score on to 88-7.

Then the partnership of the Stratford innings followed between Kirby and number eight Adrian Witts, putting on 70 runs off 60 balls to cause a panic in the Stour camp.

Fortunately for Stour, Witt was bowled by Nabeel Ali (1-29) for quick-fire 34. A run out of Sam Dothwaite, and Zain Ul-Hassan (1-34) bowling the skipper Mike Brown ended the opposition challenge. Kirby remained not out on 72 off 124 balls over three hours.

Stourbridge, needing to win all five remaining matches to avid the drop, take on C&R Hawks at home on Saturday (noon start).