Despite fine bowling performances from James Cole and Connor Hance, Cleeve Cricket Club’s first team could not finish the job with the bat as the went down by 17 runs to early title contenders Coalpit Heath this weekend.

Cole and Hance took five and four wickets respectively on the away trip, but Cleeve’s tail end batsmen couldn’t quite get them over the line as they fell for 130 of the needed 147 runs.

Cleeve’s skipper Sam Williams elected bowl to first in the hope that the damp wicket may have some time to dry out.

Opening pace pairing of Andy Barnsley and Jack Spiers provided an early control on runs for the away team but without a wicket.

However, they assisted the ever-reliable Hance who struck with just his second delivery to trap Robertson LBW for 17 at the start of the 12th over and soon removed Williams in the same fashion for five, to put Heath at 44-2.

Cam Elswood had a speal of three overs for 13 runs before off spinner Cole was introduced to the attack and removed opener Chris Cook LBW for 32, with Heath at 92-3.

From then on, wickets fell at regular intervals as Perham and Jones were bowled, and Ali and Lamb removed by catches as Cole returned figures of 5-32 from eight overs.

Jalal Ahmed, nine overs for 28 runs, bowled Donaldson for eight, leaving Hance to wrap up the tail as Coalpit Heath tabled 147.

In reply, Cleeve lost Ahmed for five before Hance and Williams looked to rebuild.

Hance was bowled for 19 and Williams holed out for a top score of 23.

Want was then bowled for five as Ball was run out for 13, with Cleeve now looking slightly more uneasy at 99-5 having looked comfortable 66-3.

Spiers and Barnsley combined well with the bat as they had with the ball and added another 32 runs before Spiers was caught for 18 at leaving the team at 124-6.

Needing just 24 runs for victory, Barnsley was adjudged LBW for 22 and the wickets started tumbling.

Cole’s two made him the only remaining batter to the tally as Cleeve crumbled to 130 all out and a 17-run loss in a tight game against strong opposition.

Cleeve will now be hosting Claverham for two games in a row, first a cup match on Tuesday and then a league fixture on June 1st.