Useful batting contributions from Tom Arnold and Tejas Wagle were unable to prevent Harborne slipping to an eight-wicket Birmingham Premier League Division Two defeat at Dorridge.
The middle-order duo both passed 40, but it was the home side’s new-ball pairing of David Ball (3-31) and Leicestershire’s Chris Wright (2-49) who stamped their authority on the Harborne innings.
And Dorridge continued to hold the aces after the break as third-wicket pair Roshan Venkataraman (57no) and Ben Shepperson (67no) eased the hosts to their 169-run target in the 32nd over.
Arnold was disappointed that his team failed to build on last week’s impressive win over Bromsgrove against opponents whose seam bowlers posed plenty of difficult questions.
“It was a bit of a struggle,” he said, “We didn’t bat especially well.
“The pitch wasn’t the easiest as it was a bit up-and-down, but we didn’t do ourselves justice with the bat and 169 was well below par.
“Their opening bowlers exploited it really well, and when you have someone with Chris Wright’s pedigree in your line-up it always gives the players around him a real lift.
“We got an early wicket but Dorridge then batted really well and took the game away from us.”
With Wright and Ball making early inroads – including the key wicket of Indian ace Swapnil Gugale who was bowled by the veteran Australian seamer for 25 – the visitors were soon up against it at 45 for four.
Last week’s hero Wagle stopped the rot with an even-time 43, but once he fell to Perry Derrick, who claimed 3-32, Harborne skipper Arnold presented the main obstacle to the home side’s progress.
The all-rounder struck seven fours and a six in an entertaining 44, but the end arrived in the 44th over soon after he was the ninth man dismissed.
The visitors needed to make early inroads and their skipper obliged in only the second over of Dorridge’s response.
And when Gugale dismissed Wright, the home side were 52 for two and the visitors scented opportunity.
But the door was then firmly slammed shut by Venkataraman and Shepperson’s commanding third-wicket partnership.
The pair added 117 in contrasting styles as the more watchful Venkataraman’s 96-ball 57 played a supporting role to Shepperson, who found the rope ten times and cleared it once, in his entertaining 47-ball unbeaten 67.
Eighth-placed Harborne host Kenilworth Wardens next Saturday who currently lie three places and 31 points ahead of them as the season approaches its mid-point.
