A MAGNIFICENT individual performance by skipper Jonathan Miles was all in vain as Oswestry crashed to defeat at Penkridge on Saturday.

When Oswestry arrived at the Staffordshire ground it was practically under water, and the likelihood of any play seemed remote.

The home club worked hard to get play under way, however, and they got their reward as Oswestry put up a miserable performance.

Play was restricted to 33 overs a side, and each bowler to 10, with Miles returning 1-14 from his full quota after inviting Penkridge to bat.

With any luck he could have taken five or six wickets, but that commodity has been in short supply for Oswestry this season – and some big hitting by home skipper Laiq Chishti (74no) lifted his side to 163-6. Mark Robinson was the most successful Oswestry bowler with 3-46.

Oswestry lost Joe Carrasco in the first over of their reply, and he was soon followed by a succession of team-mates as the innings collapsed to 40-6. Miles led a rearguard action, as he and Robbie Clarke (12) more than doubled the score before Clarke was caught on the long-off boundary with the total on 87.

The skipper was eventually last man out for 61, including seven fours and two sixes, as the innings ended on 117 all out.

Penkridge took 24 points to Oswestry’s four, meaning the sides are now level at the wrong end of the table.

Oswestry Seconds secured a comfortable winning draw against an unadventurous Wellington Seconds side at Morda Road.

Half-centuries for James O’Reilly (58) and Jonny Davies (50) lifted Oswestry to 189-5 off their 35 overs after openers Michael O’Reilly and Scott Hale had both made 22.

Wellington made no attempt to chase the runs after Oswestry skipper Adam Lloyd ran opener Tom Masters for a duck, and they finished on 106-3.

Visiting opener Steve Moules made watching paint dry seem a pleasurable experience by batting right through the innings for 45no, while Ian Davies took 2-31.

Oswestry Thirds’ game with league leaders Wem Thirds at Morda Road on Sunday was rained off without a ball being bowled – the sixth abandonment for the Thirds in 11 games this season.

And Oswestry Fourths had reached 81-4 when rain ended their game at Lilleshall Thirds.

nOswestry begin the second half of the season with a trip to high-flying Harborne on Saturday (midday). The Seconds are at home to Kenilworth Wardens Seconds (12.30).

The Thirds visit Newport Thirds on Sunday, when the Fourths entertain Whitchurch Thirds at Morda Road (both 1.30)