ASTWOOD Bank found themselves on the wrong end of a 172 run hammering at Harborne which leaves the Sambourne Lane side detached at the bottom of Birmingham League Division Two.

Harborne posted a huge total of 332 for seven and then removed the Bank for just 160 all out in reply.

Bank skipper Steve Adshead said: " I actually thought 330 was a par score at Harborne. The ground has three small boundary sides and a very good wicket.

"It wasn't our bowling that let us down, it was the batting.

"Harborne had two players that scored 60's and another who reached a century.

"We had two players that reached 40 and then got out - that was the difference.

"If you can score 40, then there's no reason why you can't go onto reach 80 or 90 and people have to get back into the habit of getting big scores."

The Bank had Harborne at 116 for five at one stage and Adshead admitted: "We haven't been finishing sides off and we need to start finding that little bit more to see us over the line.

"Whilst our position doesn't look pretty, the consequences aren't the same this season with only promotion to play for.

"We've come into this division at a difficult time when some clubs are throwing a great deal of resources at their teams because they want to be in the new Birmingham League set up. It's probably the division that matters the most this season.

"All I'm looking for is that Astwood Bank strive to get better."

The Bank take on fellow strugglers Streetly this Saturday and Adshead is under no illusions how the important the outcome could be.

He said: "It's a big game for us. We beat them earlier in the season and if we can do that again, it could go a long way towards changing our fortunes and setting us up for a positive second half of the season."