STOURBRIDGE suffered a second blow of the season when losing at home to Old Elizabethans last Saturday.

Skipper Matt Bradley lost the toss once again and saw his team take on the opposition as well as the testing weather conditions.

A persistent light drizzle and a cold wind provided the backdrop to Stour’s attempt to put on a marker of at least 200 runs in the allocated 50 overs.

Hopes of a solid foundation by the openers faded when Stour’s top three batsmen, Alex Bingham, Steve Game and Richard Bradley, all fell cheaply to James Newland.

The middle order revived the innings through as Audy Alexander (33), Matt Bradley (39) and Jitesh Jivan-Patel (19) all added to the scoreline.

However, Stour fell well short of the expected target failing to bat through the allocated overs. Newland finished with five wickets for 43 off his nine overs.

Stour made a breakthrough in the third over, Matt Bradley taking the wickets of opener and skipper James Boyle lbw for three and that of Daniel Goodyear caught behind off the first delivery.

Opener Jonathan Smit and number four Damon Gariff put on 98 partnership helped set their team on a victory trail. Smit was eventually bowled on 55 by the spinner James Wood.

Stour could not dislodge Gariff who remained not out on 55 alongside John Major on 36.

The youthful Memorial outfit desperate to notch up a first win of the season are away to Bridgnorth next Saturday.

Meanwhile, the seconds lost away at Old Elizabethans.

Skipper Mikesh Jivan-Patel won the toss and put Old Elizabethans in to bat. A solid start by openers Michael Cooper (29) and skipper Michael Payne (37) saw the home side score past the two hundred. Number five Sean Cairney and number six Andrew Stephens remained not out on 45 and 51 respectively.

Stour’s youthful side found the opposition bowling an ordeal and with two run outs including that of the skipper fell well short of required runs.