STOURBRIDGE brought down the curtain on a miserable season with a two-wicket defeat to Harborne in Birmingham & District Two.

The cellar dwellers won the toss and opted to bat but the match seemed destined for a predictable result when wickets began to tumble with alarming frequency.

Openers Harshad Patel (34) and Ali Rashid (27) put on 53 in a solid stand but with the exception of Richard Bradley (25), there was little support from the middle order as Tim Holland (4-35) wreaked havoc with the ball.

With the score on 130 for seven, tail-enders Josh Banks (50) and Matthew Bradley (42) saved the day as Stour posted 231 for nine from their 50 overs.

Nabeel Ali (2-49) and Zain Ul-Hassan (2-47) got the away side off to a flying start as Harborne floundered on 44 for four.

However, captain Andrew Lloyd (44) dug his boys out of their rut and the innings turned once the tail started to wag.

Holland's run-per-ball 52 and Darren Franklin's 36 made all the difference, firing Harborne to 235 for eight with 11 balls to spare.