STUDLEY slipped a place to tenth in Warwickshire League Division One as their resurgence was halted by a valiant 25-run defeat at home to promotion-chasing Fillongley on Saturday.
The Washford Fields side face a stern test in their bid to return to winning ways when they visit leaders Moseley Ashfield on Saturday before another challenging away fixture on Monday at high-flying Kenilworth.
On Saturday, Studley had reduced their visitors to 129-5 and then 184-8 thanks to some tight bowling but a partnership of 65 for the ninth wicket between Elliot Bates (34no) and Sajjad Ali (32) lifted Fillongley to 253-9 off their 50 overs.
Charlie Bass took 3-41 off ten overs and Muhammad Safyan 2-30 off eight for Studley.
The hosts then lost both openers Bass and Sam Fonyodi without scoring and at, 20-2 and then 117-7, were staring down the barrel of defeat.
However, Studley are made of sterner stuff these days and they too produced some fine lower order resistance as Richard Lewis (35) and Chris Walder (48no off 38 balls) made 68 for the eighth wicket.
Even after Lewis’ dismissal, Walder was able to put on 38 for the ninth wicket with Safyan (16) and until the latter’s dismissal with the score on 223 there was still an outside chance of securing victory.
More realistic though was the target of saving the game but Studley fell 13 balls short of doing so when last man Andy Rhodes was run out in the 48th over to end the innings on 228. Ahsan Sayed was the pick of the visiting bowlers with 2-20 off ten overs.
