OPENER Glen Whittaker carried the fight for Ludlow 2nd but was powerless to prevent an eight-wicket setback at Cound II in Shropshire Reserve Division One.

Whittaker waltzed to 83 but found the staying power of his support cast limited with none of his team-mates managing to reach 20 runs.

Having been put in to bat, Whittaker was the main man in a 50-run partnership but the innings quickly unravelled when Sam Roberts (10) was dismissed and Josh Williams was run out for a duck by Kenny Hamer.

Ludlow steadied the ship and hit treble figures before the next wicket fell but a further four went for a meagre return of 19 runs.

Captain Robin Hillman (19) attempted to arrest the slide but the resistance was ended as Ludlow finished on 154 all out.

Cound shared out the wickets but Dave Ballinger’s two for just 10 runs from seven overs, including the scalp of Whittaker, was particularly impressive.

In reply, the hosts went for the throat and although Tom Miller (2-38) saw off openers Matt Jones (15) and Greg Lawrence (18), Andy Parry and Ballinger proved unstoppable.

Parry’s unbeaten 75 was achieved from just 70 deliveries and included eight fours and a trio of sixes, while Ballinger backed up his tight bowling by finding the rope five times en route to 33.

Cound won with a total of 157 for two off 27.4 overs.

It was a similar tale for Ludlow’s third string in a 53-run defeat at title-chasing Shifnal III in Shropshire Division Three.

The visitors won the toss and opted to field but could not prevent their high-flying rivals from blasting 19 boundaries in 40 overs.

Opener Kevin Humphreys (33) ensured the hosts got off to a solid start with Edward Home (66 no) and Paul Gough (54) falling just short of a century partnership for the second wicket.

With the score at 152 for two when Gough was run out by Luke Hicks, Ben Humphreys had the freedom to whack 29 off just 16 balls, a brief but impressive knock which featured two fours and a pair of sixes.

Chasing Shifnal’s 192 was an unenviable task and while Rob Genner (37) weighed in with a solid contribution, a series of single-figure scores saw Ludlow finish on 139 all out from 31.2 overs.

In Worcestershire Division Three, back-markers Cleobury Mortimer were picked off by Kempsey.

Cleobury scored well having been put in to bat with James Manley (46), Michael Green (47) and captain Ben Griffiths (44) inspiring a total of 171 for five from 25 overs.

But an unbeaten 79 from 68 balls by Simon Dorrell pushed the hosts past the post on 176 for five with 10 balls to spare.