AVONCROFT will be hoping to get back to winning ways after falling to a 71-run defeat at Five Ways Old Edwardians in Worcestershire County League Division Three.
Skipper Jonathan Hunter once again lost the toss and Five Ways opted to bat.
Croft did not make the early break through as they have done in previous weeks and openers James Hamilton (5) and Zafron Ahmed (88) made a cautious but steady start.
Veteran Paul Athey led by example and made the first breakthrough when dismissed Hamilton (5) and he was quickly followed into the pavilion by Dave Potter who was clean bowled with the ball of the day.
It was then the role of Josh Cound to continue his form with the ball and bowled well but finished wicketless in his nine overs.
Spinner Craig Hughes took a while to settle into his rhythm with Ahmed and Usmaan Mahmood (42) scoring well off the Croft spinner.
The rate started to slow down, thanks to the introduction of seamer Dan Elliott who had both batsmen in trouble throughout his opening spell.
It was Elliott who made the breakthrough following a 102-run partnership, thanks to a well take catch by Cound.
A quick piece of fielding by skipper Hunter allowed Elliott to whip the bails off as Croft looked to come back into the game.
Hughes and Athey then started to combine well as Hughes picked up two wickets, thanks to catches from Hunter and Murray to end Khan (1) and Ahmed’s innings.
They then ripped through the lower order as Athey picked up his first five-wicket haul of the season, finishing with 5-27 off his allotted ten overs.
Croft really pulled the innings back as Five Ways, who were 140/2 at one point, finished 183 all out.
The visitors made a great start to the run chase through the opening pair of Elliott and Sam Hughes.
However, it was soon to not end well when Elliott (21) and Hughes (12) fell quickly.
They were quickly followed by Craig Hughes (11).
The wickets continued the fall, despite some fight from Will Sach (17) and Murray (15) as Avoncroft were bowled out for 112.
Croft take on league leaders Rushwick on Saturday.
