AFTER fighting back with the ball to take the last eight Warwickshire 2nd wickets for 48 runs, the Herefordshire County Clubs' Xl lost too many wickets to loose shots and went down by 57 runs in a 50 overs per side friendly at Brockhampton last Sunday.

Herefordshire were bowled out for 189 in reply to Warwickshire's total of 246 all out.

The defeat would have been heavier but for a flourishing last-wicket stand of 53 between the Brockhampton pair of Nick Price (30 off 28 balls) and Richard Parker, an undefeated 23 off 31. The pair came together at 136-9 after five wickets had gone down for just eight runs.

D Franklin shared partnerships of 61 and 102 with F Kloaker (26) and S Moreton (63) to get the Warwickshire innings off to a solid start. He went on to reach 72 before becoming the first of three run-outs, making the score 198-3.

Tight bowling and good fielding meant there was a clatter of wickets in the latter part of the innings. Jabran Khalid bowled a tight line and length to finish with 2-31 from his 10 overs and he received good support from Chris Powell who took his two wickets off the final two balls of the 50 overs.

Herefordshire had made a useful start before losing their first wicket at 20. Opener Adam Hewlett and Dave Exall were in little trouble against the seamers and took the score past 50. Exall (23) clattered one big six off spinner Nick Chase before giving a soft chance off the same bowler a few balls later.

Hewlett was out for 33 and Johnny Walker went second ball to a rash shot to leave the score at 76-4. Ashley Nahorniak (31) and Ed Symonds (23) provided a partial recovery to move the score along to 128-4, at which point the lower middle order was blown away. Chase and Andy Owen each finished with three wickets.