COLWALL saw their hopes of making a winning start to their Worcestershire League campaign suffer a disappointing set-back as both their first and second teams slipped to narrow defeats against Stourport.

The senior side looked firm favourites when they dismissed the hosts for just 189 after an impressive bowling performance.

But their early batting let them down as they went down by 11 runs, while the seconds lost by 10 runs at Stowe Lane after being set 227 to win.

It was a particularly frustrating outcome for the first team who always had the upper hand in the field. Dan Newby made the initial breakthrough as he had Ryan Delo caught behind by skipper Ben Wheeler with the total on 31 in the 10th over.

Johnno Gooch then weighed in with the wickets of Greg Trott and Greg Massingham to catches by Wheeler and PJ Recordon as Stourport slumped to 53-3 before a solid stand of 59 between Ryan Derrick and Andy Siwicki bolstered the home innings.

Mike Gooch broke through as he had Siwicki caught behind for 29 with the total on 112 and when Wheeler took his fourth catch off the returning Newby to send back Chris Parry and Damien Berry had Derrick caught by Ben Butler Colwall were back on top with the total on 147-6 in the 33rd over.

Two runs later Newby took his third wicket as Matt Delo was caught by Recordon for a duck and when Berry removed Craig Siwicki, caught by Ben Cooke Stourport were floundering at 156-8.

Andy Cavendish retaliated with a flurry of boundaries to briefly boost the scoring, but when Newby had Charlie Foley caught by Nick Pannions and Johnno Gooch returned to take the final wicket of Cavendish for 26, Stourport subsided to 189 all out with 9.1 overs remaining.

Colwall suffered a shock blow off the very first ball of their reply as Joe Blight was trapped leg before off Derrick, who then clean bowled James Abel in his second over with the score on six.

Ben Butler soon followed, leg before to Lee Waldron to make it 25-3 before Cooke and Wheeler added 29 for the fourth wicket.

But when Wheeler was caught having hit two fours and a six in his 17, Colwall were back in trouble on 54-4 in the 12th over.

Cooke and Pannions then added 49 for the fifth wicket, but when Cooke was caught having struck nine fours in a solid 46 the game gradually turned Stourport’s way as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

Pannions stood firm in a dogged rearguard action with support from Recorden (10) and Newby (15), but Matt Delo (4-45) and Derrick (3-80) broke through again to leave Colwall on the brink at 137-9.

Although Berry resisted stoutly he was last out with 12 required off eight balls, leaving Pannions unbeaten on 45.

Colwall fourths went down by three wickets in an enjoyable 40-over friendly clash against a youthful Woolhope side on Ghost Meadow.