Following their recent excellent run, Oswestry came down to earth with a bump, as they crashed to a 174-run defeat at the hands of Halesowen Birmingham & District Premier Cricket League - Division One on Saturday.

This was their second successive heavy loss to the Worcestershire team, after a weakened team went down by nine wickets earlier in the season.

The Oswestry bowlers had no answer to the rampant visiting batsmen as Jamie Harris (132) and Kester Moseley (57) put on a 165 for the first wicket.

It did not get better for the home side as Halesowen skipper and Shropshire professional, Alex Kervezee, at his very best, plundered 80 off just 41 balls. The former Worcestershire batsman was destined for a century before running himself out.

Former Kent man Charlie Hartley inflicted further damage with an undefeated 51 off 28 balls as Halesowen piled on the agony, posting a total of 352-5 off their 55 overs.

With veteran Ian Davies limping out of the Oswestry attack after just two overs, the visitors scored 196 runs in their last 20 overs.

Rituraj Singh finished with 2-76 with Warrick Fynn and Charlie Morris taking the other two wickets to fall.

Oswestry made a positive start, but when Joe Carrasco was caught behind off the bowling of Harry Kitchen for a highly impressive 89, the innings was quickly dismantled.

The last seven wickets fell for just 29 runs with young Joss Kirk left stranded on 12 not out, as Oswestry were bundled out for 178 in 45 overs.

Nine of the Oswestry dismissals were to catches, the majority of which were in front of the wicket .

Only Fynn (29) and skipper Robbie Clarke (21) were the other men to reach double figures on the flattest of pitches.

Batting second and chasing daunting totals inevitably brings its own pressures.

Kitchen finished with 7-51 and Kervezee 2-57 , including the prized wicket of Fynn.

Halesowen were worthy winners, dominating the game in every department from start to finish. They now move into third place, 13 points ahead of the Border Road men who drop to fourth in the table.

Skipper Robbie Clarke after the game acknowledged Oswestry had had an ‘off day’.

He said: “They got to many runs on the board. It was always going to be an uphill struggle after that. With the exception of Joe, we just didn’t perform.’’

Oswestry will be looking for a much improved display and return to winning ways when they visit bottom of the table, Wellington at Orleton Park on Saturday.

It was a double losing Saturday for Oswestry as they second XI were also downed on Saturday, losing to Smethwick second XI.

Second team skipper Peter Holloway won the toss and decided to give his hosts something to chase, a decision which soon backfired after Oswestry were dismissed for just 86 inside 28 overs.

Onky two of the Oswestry batting line-up made it into double figures on the day as opener Steve Humphreys was trapped lbw for 13 but number three batter Jonathan Davies launched a limited fightback to the discipline of the home bowling.

He reached his half-century before he was eventually dismissed for 53, caught and bowled by Mohammed Umar Shaikh.

From there, the Oswestry innings completely collapsed as from number four downwards, Archie James’s score of five was the highest, with three ducks and two scores on one.

In reply, Oswestry made their hosts work hard for the win as Christopher Cathrall and Sam Davies shared the wickets betweeen them.

Both openers were dismissed for 10 runs, with the bowlers taking one opener each, while Oswestry hopes were risen by number three’s Zayan Kayani’s duck, out to Davies, as the Morda Road men made early in-roads.

However, the Smethwick middle-order did enough to see them over the line as each of the batters made it into double figures as Aryan Kayani top-scored with 19 not out as the home side finished the game with a six.

On Saturday, the second XI host Wellington in the reverse fixture at Morda Road for a 1pm start, while on Sunday, the fourth XI will host Madeley’s fourth XI.