HALESOWEN head into this weekend’s home game with Penkridge looking to bounce back from a losing start to the season.

The first team face Penkridge at Seth Somers Park on Saturday and will be licking their wounds after the defeat at the hands of Tamworth.

And to complete a miserable weekend for the club, the seconds were also defeated.

Skipper Faisal Shahid said: “There are lessons to be learnt from both these defeats. It was good to welcome the new boys into the team on Saturday but we made some basic errors.

“We allowed Tamworth to score probably 40 runs too many at the end of the innings and we must tighten up our death bowling.

“In hindsight we left our middle order too much to do chasing the total and we were always under pressure from the scoreboard.

“On Sunday we came agonisingly close and kept losing vital wickets when we needed one of the batters to see us home.”

The early season format of 50 over result matches saw Tamworth firsts win the toss at home and elect to bat first.

Lively opening spells from both skipper Faisal Shahid and Eddie Rhodes saw the ball go past the outside edge countless times but with little reward for the bowlers despite keeping the run rate down in the early stages.

It was the change bowlers that took some punishment from the Tamworth batters who went on to amass a big 272-6 from their 50 overs with solid contributions from Flower 80, Burrows 73 and Maddox 52.

Needing to score at 5.5 an over the Halesowen innings got off to a solid, if unspectacular, start with Hassan Qaumi and Faisal Shahid putting on 50 for the opening wicket.

However, the run rate was never challenged and by the time new signings Harry Ellison and Will Barrett got to the crease the asking rate was close to double figures. Wickets fell at regular intervals and Halesowen were all out for 198.

A more competitive game at Seth Somers Park saw Tamworth seconds also win the toss and opt to bat first posting 256-8 from their 50 overs.

In reply Halesowen were always in touch largely due to 65 from opener Deon Patel. Useful efforts from Scott Jones and Joe Tromans brought the side within touching distance of the total but the tail enders were unable to get the side home and they fell 10 short.

Sunday saw Halesowen take on Birmingham Premier Divison outfit Ombersley in the National Knock Out at Seth Somers Park and resulted in defeat.