STEEPLE Langford firsts fell to their second successive defeat after a below-par batting display at home to Hurstbourne Priors in County Division 4 North.

Put into bat on a lovely batting track, the home side soon found themselves at 13 for 2 before Andy Bennett and Chris Mundy steadied the ship with a stand of 52. Bennett was then out lbw for 22 and Tom Dennis then joined Mundy and they put on 55 before Dennis fell for 28.

They then lost two more quick wickets, including Mundy for 42, to leave themselves in a precarious position at 124 for 6. And after a couple of quick cameo innings, were left at 156 for 9. Gary Smith and Liam Harvey then shared a last wicket stand of 32 to get the score to a more respectable 188 before Smith was out for 24.

The pick of the away team bowlers were Hamson with 4 for 25 and Budd taking 3 for 36, but Langford knew they were 70 runs short of the expected score, so they needed to take early wickets.

However, despite bowling well, luck wasn’t on their side and couldn’t foil Priors’ batting from seeing them home, Nautiyal coming within two of a ton.

The seconds defeated OT’s & Romsey.