STOURBRIDGE lost their fourth game in a row when defeated at home by Sutton Coldfield last Saturday.

Stour lost by one wicket in the close fought encounter at the Memorial Ground.

Skipper Matt Bradley’s decision take the first strike back fired as the home side collapsed losing four of their top order batsmen for 37 runs off 18 overs bowled.

Three of the wickets fell in the 30s. It was skipper Bradley and Jitesh Jivan-Patel who retrieved the innings with a partnership of 41. Bradley was caught off the bowling of James Hunt for a stubborn knock of 20 off 44 balls.

Stour were under pressure to pose a defendable target notched up the 100 with Jivan- Patel and James Wood at the wicket.

Next to go was Wood on 14 caught off the bowling of Dan Childs. Jivan-Patel went on to score 52 but was caught off Lewis Harrison for 52 off 97 balls attempting to up the scoring rate.

James Winders remained not out on valuable 15 as Stour ended on 166-8. Lewis Harrison finished with the figures of three wickets for 48 off nine overs.

Not to be out gunned, Stour captured four of the opposition’s wickets for 52 runs. The rampant Matt Bradley took the wickets of Lewis Harrison (8), Lee Thomason (4) and Jack Smith (12).

Stour’s new signing Jack Stanier joined in the excitement and took the wicket of James Hunt for 25.

Stour were further boosted as the fourteen year old Zain Ul Hassan stepped up getting Mark Guest caught for one.

The opposition was reeling at 84 for 5. Number eight Graham Clarke who had come in with the score on 107 was resolute as Stour grabbed two more wickets that of Tom Eustace (16) and Steven Howard (10) and the score 147 for 9.

The departure of Eustace was courtesy of an exemplary catch by Audy Alexander in the slips area off the bowling of Stanier.

With the match on a knife edge, Bradley switched his bowlers around. However, Clarke withstood the pressure guiding his side to an unlikely victory. He was not out on 34 with Dan Childs on one.

Bradley bagged five wickets for 25 off his 10 overs.

Stour next face Shifnal at home this Saturday (12noon start).