RUGBY were unable to navigate past Attock in the Warwickshire County Cricket League Premier Division, despite a top-score of 66 from skipper Owen Edwards, after losing by 44 runs.
Attock’s total of 199-4 proved unassailable, as Rugby were bowled out for 155 in the 27th over.
The visitors won the toss and put Attock into bat first, who promptly hit an opening partnership of 64 before Mohin Khan (37) was the first to go, after being caught by Henry Wilkins from Edwards’ delivery.
Edwards was at it again to run out third batsman Mohammed Qamar Khan (5) at 73-2, but he, or the rest of the Rugby bowlers, could do little much to prevent Arsalaan Mahmood (60) from forming a 57-run partnership with Attock captain Asim Khan (34).
The pair were eventually removed from the crease, Mahmood at 130-3 and Khan at 152-4, but Attock continued to accumulate runs, thanks to middle order duo Hamza Nadeem (36) and Safraz Ali (23), to finish just shy of the 200 mark.
Rugby were up against it and lost opener Hugh Cochrane (5 ) at 7-1, and third batsman Jeevan Barhey (9) at 37-2, before Henry Wilkins (38) and Edwards laid on 46 in the third wicket.
But a complete collapse by the Rugby batting order, beginning after Henry Parker’s (18) dismissal at 151-5, wiped out any chance of a late win.
The visitors were forced to go for it with just 30 balls remaining and a target of 49 runs to score, but lost their remaining five batsmen in the space of a couple of overs, scoring just four more runs to finish on 155.
Rugby now face a double header this weekend, starting with a T20 match against Olton & West Warwicks on Friday (6pm), followed by the visit of Handsworth on Saturday (noon) in the league.
