DESPITE an improved performance from seven days ago, Stourbridge still came up short in the latest attempt to stop their slide down the table.

Stour ended up losing to Streetly by four wickets, but skipper Josh Banks was disappointed that his players couldn’t produce in a match which the home side expected to win.

After going into bat, no Stourbridge player could stay in long enough to get into a decent rhythm, with Zain Ul-Hassan (31) and Matthew Bradley (30) the pick of the batters.

Sagar Mangalorkar was dominant with the ball for Streetly, claiming five of the home side’s wickets for 47 runs.

After Stour posted a total of 183-8 off 55 overs, Streetly would have fancied their chances and thanks to Imran Qadir’s 73 they soon reached the target with four wickets to spare.

Banks said: “We have been struggling for that complete performance. This seems to be the major thing lacking at the moment.

“Too many times this season have our top order batters been getting out too easily. No one has been staying in long enough to get a good partnership going, so that has been a little disappointing.

“Streetly are a decent side, but I still feel that this was a game that we should have got a result from.

“I’m not one who will go after the players, ranting and raving at them in the dressing room, as they’re not professionals, but I’ve spoken to them all and said how I feel.

“I’ve asked them to think about their own game and whether they have been doing the best that they can, so hopefully we will see an improved result on Saturday.”

Stour will host bottom-of-the-table Nuneaton at the War Memorial Ground on Saturday (noon start).

Banks added: “Nuneaton are up next and they've not been having the best of seasons so that game might have come at a good time for us.

“But it is all well to go about saying we’re better than them on paper, but ability only gets you so far, you still need to work hard.

“We need a big bowling and batting performance to get rid of the disappointment in the side.”