BRAVE Astwood Bank's bid to reach a third National Village Cup Final fell at the final hurdle when they lost out to defending champions Sessay on Sunday by 80 runs.

A bumper Sambourne Lane crowd saw North Yorkshire side Sessay score 221 for eight from their allotted 40 overs and then remove the Bank for 141 all out in reply to book their place in a second consecutive showpiece Lord's final.

Bank skipper Steve Adshead praised his players and said afterwards: "I have no complaints. Sessay were a very good side and we knew that from previous results.

"I thought we bowled and fielded extremely well, but we fell away towards the end of our innings, as often happens in knock-out cricket.

"Tom Underhill hit 64 off 54 balls and proved the mainstay of our batting. When he was together with first Tom Pedley and then Pete Alexander, we always stood a chance. But when Pete got out, we started to collapse as the pressure built around us."

It proved a poor weekend allround for the Bank whose Birmingham League Division Three game with Worcester Nomads was cut short by rain at the half way stage.

The Bank has been put into bat first and bustled out for just 96 runs after 39.3 troublesome overs.

Nomads had reached eight without loss in reply when rain arrived to prevent any further play.

Adshead said: "The pitch was soft, but it wasn't a minefield. Although we weren't in the driving seat at the end of our innings, I still thought 96 was a total we could possibly defend. We bowled Nomads out for considerably less earlier in the season".

Unfortunately the Bank weren't able to pick up any additional bonus points above the five they were awarded for an abandoned game and have consequently slipped back to fifth place - but remain just a mere nine points adrift of leaders Lichfield.

Adshead added: "We've still got all four of the teams above us to play, so promotion is still very much within our own hands.

"I don't believe the players were distracted by Sunday's National Village Cup semi-final, although it would only have been human nature had they been. But they are an incredibly driven group of players and the only disappointment is that we didn't grind out a few more runs against Nomads."

Astwood Bank bid to bounce back this Saturday when they entertain second placed Milford Hall from Stafford - a team they have already beaten twice this season.

But the Bank face a selection dilemma as they are missing four key bowlers in Tom Harris, Jake Price, Andrzej Jagielski and Mike Desmond.

Adshead admitted: "It's just an unfortunate coincidence. I'd have been more dismayed had they all been going on holiday together."