LUDLOW CC captain Ruel Brathwaite has insisted his side are “not too far off” despite sitting in the lower half of the Shropshire Premier table after two weekend defeats.

And with two more home fixtures coming up – against Bomere Heath on Saturday and Sentinel on Sunday – the captain says his side has an instant shot at redemption.

“We just need to start doing small things a bit better,” said Brathwaite, after Saturday’s league reverse at the hands of Worfield. “Losing, like winning, can become a habit but I don’t think we’re too far off and we keep reiterating that in the dressing room. We just need to do what we’re doing and do it a bit better. For instance, we lost a game on Saturday we were chasing by 15 runs, we could have just sharpened up our fielding and taken a few more runs off their total.

“But again we had a batting collapse, so we do really need to work on our batting.”

Worfield posted a strong 209 for 9 on Saturday after being inserted by Brathwaite, and although Ludlow set about their target with Sam Edwards and Matthew Hawes reaching 58, Joe Williams was run out with Ludlow 15 runs shy and 13 balls remaining.

It was a similar story on Sunday in the Senior Slam, as league leaders Madeley won the toss and piled up the runs to reach 184 for 9.

Ludlow’s reply never got started, Keanu Cooper caught and bowled for a golden duck and wickets tumbling to leave the hosts 26 for 5 before Edwards’ 27 helped the hosts to 121 for 9.

Brathwaite insisted he is not expecting any football-related withdrawals at the weekend, with England’s footballers due to face Panama in a televised World Cup match at 1pm on Sunday, at the same time Ludlow face Sentinel.

“England wins taste a lot better if you’re winning your cricket,” joked the Ludlow skipper.

Ludlow 3rds sit 12 points behind second placed Montgomery in Division Two after putting on 131 for 9 in 35 overs and skittling lowly Bishops Castle for 74 in just 25.1 overs on Saturday.

Bottom side Ludlow 4ths recorded a win in Sunday Division Two, piling up 176 all out before bowling out Bridgnorth 4ths for 140 in 33.1 overs.

Church Stretton fell short of the 266 for 5 target set them by hosts Iscoyd & Fenns Bank in Division Three on Saturday, posting 140 for 9 in reply from their 40 overs.

Corvedale won at Quayside in Division Four, bowling the hosts for 41 in 107 balls before knocking off the runs to finish on 43 for 4 inside 15.1 overs.

And Ludlow’s 2nds lost in the Division Three 2nd XI competition, reaching 115 all out at home to Allscott 3rds, with the visitors reaching their target for the loss of one wicket.