STOURBRIDGE passed up a big opportunity to bag their first win of the season when suffering a low-scoring defeat to Old Elizabethans.

Stour’s batsmen failed to capitalise after their spinners, Mikesh Jivan-Patel and Tarryck Gabriel, had put the team in a commanding position.

The duo captured six wickets between them, helping to bowl out Old Elizabethans for 125 off 48 overs.

But on a pitch suited to bowlers Stour were bowled out for 79, resulting in a 46-run defeat.

Six lbw decisions went against struggling Stour to deprive them of the chance to kickstart their faltering campaign.

Stourbridge skipper Matt Bradley started well enough by winning the toss and giving the opposition the first strike.

The match was curtailed to 52 overs per innings after a 25 minutes delayed start.

After reducing their opponents to 125, Stour set about their chase.

Umar Khalid struck the first blow in the second over taking the return catch off former Pakistani pro, Nasir Jamshad.

Nineteen runs later, Nabeel Ali bowled Jack Taylor for four and claimed the wicket of Eliot Bartlett for three in the in the 19th over.

Opener Ash Bullock and number five Elliot Hennessey put on 46 in 15 overs which helped to turn the match in favour of the hosts.

Bullock was bowled by Jivan- Patel for 35 off 102 balls having battled for 118 minutes. Once Bullock departed Stour tightened their grip allowing Old Elizabethans just 31 runs off 14 overs.

Hennessey finished on 43 off 88 balls lasting 90 minutes. Stour had banked four overs of the Old Elizabethan innings thanks to the three wickets from Jivan-Patel and Gabriel.

Unfortunately for Stour no one was able to repeat the innings of Hennessey.

However Richard Bradley top scored with just 17 runs off 88 balls, skipper Matt Bradley’s innings lasted 63 minutes for 17 runs, and Josh Banks batted for 46 minutes for his nine runs.

Once again Stour were left to rue what might have been.

Liam Booth secured six Stour wickets for 23 runs off 12 overs.

Stour are away to second placed Tamworth this Saturday (noon start).

There was something to celebrate at the Memorial Ground, however, as the second, third and fourth teams all won.