STOURBRIDGE CC saw their hopes of promotion suffer a huge blow after an 80-run defeat at Oswestry.

Richard Bradley’s side enjoyed an excellent start and at one stage had the league leaders reeling at 29-5.

But the hosts recovered to post a challenging total of 172 which Stour came nowhere near reaching as they were dismissed for just 92.

The visiting bowlers had earlier taken full advantage of the conditions after Oswestry skipper Mark Robinson decided to bat first.

Both of the Oswestry openers, Warrick Fynn and Joe Carrasco were quickly back in the pavilion with total on 28. Matt Bradley then removed Mark Robinson, Alex Huxley and Paul Phillips for the addition of just one more run.

When Audy Alexander had Jon Miles caught, Oswestry were 65-6 and still in serious trouble.

But Clint Brockman (78) and Dean Suter (36) turned the game on its head with a fine 91-run seventh-wicket partnership.

Brockman smashed six sixes in his innings and though 16-year-old Ali Shah claimed two wickets to mop up the tail, the damage was already done.

Oswestry demonstrated their supremacy with the ball as Stour’s batting crumbled. Their bowling attack, led by the vociferous Miles, quickly accounted for Matt Bradley caught at short-leg in the first over.

Steve Game was bowled playing forward in the next over, skipper Richard Bradley was trapped lbw, and Alex Bingham gloved behind.

The biggest blow came from Brockman, who got rid of the inform and dangerous left-hander Alexander, caught at mid-wicket for 18.

Stour were 39-5 and despite a brave effort from Jitesh Patel (25) and a quick-fire cameo from Josh Banks (24), the task always looked too much.

Miles finished with figures of 4-33, while Warwick Flynn took 3-4 in dismissing the tail.

The seconds suffered a nine-wicket defeat to Old Elizabethans.

Batting first, Chris Norgrove (29) and Will Jennings (28) gave Stour a good start but the rest of the team failed to capitalise as they were bowled out for 109.

Thomas Williams then scored 80 not out as Elizabethans raced to the total in 13 overs.

There was more misery for the third XI, despite Rohit Mohan taking 4-31 as they bowled out Halesowen for just 112.

But Stourbridge fared even worse with the bat, being skittled for just 52 in a game when the top score by any batsman was nine.