ASTWOOD Bank captain Steve Adshead believes his side's batting woes can change in the blink of an eye.

A fifth defeat in the last seven games means Bank have slipped into the relegation zone in Birmingham League Division Three.

Their biggest problems a severe lack of runs as for the fourth time in the last five games, they have failed to score less than 200 runs.

On Saturday, they suffered a 99 run defeat to bottom of the table Water Orton.

Having won the toss, Bank won the toss and decided to bowl first and kept the home side to 216-9, with Vivian Paver hitting 96 runs.

Jonathon Summers and Andrzej Jagielski took three wickets each.

But Astwood's reply started well but faded one Matthew MacDonald was dismissed for eight by Paver as the away side collapsed deom 24-1 to 47-5.

Only teenager Ryan Blakemore, 16, was able to made a difference and he struck a patient 54 off 121 balls but Astwood were dismissed for 117 in 36 overs.

Adshead, who is set to return to action for Saturday's game at Fordhouses (noon start), believes one good performance with the bat could reinvigorate Bank's flagging campaign.

He said: "We haven't score many runs recently and it's a problem area we need to fix.

"But we have players who can score runs, you only have to look at the first six games of the season to see that.

"All it takes is someone to lead and get a good score and it will take the pressure off and everyone will improve.

"Look at Ryan, who is only 16, scoring runs and hopefully that will give us all a lift.

"I haven't scored enough runs myself, which doesn't help the team either."