STOURBRIDGE lost top-spot in Birmingham League Division Three after defeat to Oswestry.

The 71-run defeat was Stour’s first of the season and saw them replaced by Penkridge at the summit.

In a game reduced to 42 overs-a-side because of overnight rain, Stour were put into the field when Oswestry skipper Mark Robinson won the toss and opted to bat first, despite overcast conditions.

Opener Warwick Flynn led the way with 47 as the visitors were restricted to just 164 from 40 overs.

Stour’s James Winders proved their chief tormentor with 5-44 while Dave Jones claimed 3-23.

But after keeping one of the division’s top batting sides to a reasonable score, Stour for once were unable to capitalise.

Alex Bingham, Josh Banks and skipper Richard Bradley were all returned to the pavilion without making much impression on the scoreboard, as the hosts slumped to 44-5 in the face of good bowling from Jonathan Miles.

Audy Alexander provided some resistance but his attempt to dominate Miles ended on 26 as he was caught at slip.

Steve Game and Greg Jones kept Stour’s hopes alive until the latter tossed up an easy catch on 28.

Game could only watch the mayhem as Stour’s tail surrendered to the spinners.

He finished unbeaten on 28 as the hosts were bowled out for 93 with just one over remaining.

There was similar misery for the seconds, who slumped to a four-wicket reverse at Old Elizabethans.

Batting first having lost the toss, Stour were restricted to 150-9 from 50 overs.

Wicketkeeper Eddie Firth, batting at number eight, top scored with 37 while Elizabethans’ Kevin Gwynne returned figures of 5-39.

Home openers Nick Brown (21) and Jack Taylor (29) gave their side a safe start with support from Will French (25) and Alex Bastable (28).

Spinner Feraz Irfan’s 3-38 off 16 overs could not prevent his side suffering a third defeat of the season as the hosts got home in the 45th over.

The thirds hung on for a losing draw at home to Canon Frome.

After the hosts had compiled 228, Stour looked well set thanks to 30 from Areeb Mohammad and good middle-order hitting from Will Jenning (25), Lawson Bliss (53) and Steve Colesby (23).

But a lower order collapse left them hanging on at the end, as they eventually finished 179-9.