LICHFIELD suffered frustration with the bat as they fell to a heavy home defeat against Fordhouses.
Adam Braddock’s side were sent in to the field first and found the visitors in ruthless form as they piled on the runs from the off.
Openers Niall Cooper and Mubeen Rashid made 102 and 66 respectively, before the latter was eventually removed by Nick Richards with the help of a catch from Braddock.
Cooper’s impressive innings was eventually ended after the Lichfield skipper bagged another catch, this time off the bowling Isaac Rowley, to leave the score at 213-2.
Any respite was temporary as number three Matthew Gallear put on 41 before he was trapped lbw by Rowley.
Saqib Akhtar was bowled by Zayn Hussain to make it 265-4, but there was still time for Sachin Jayawardena and Adam Peat to top up the tally before their side declared on 279-4
The reply needed to be decisive, but it proved to be anything but as Asif Rajah and Will Davies went with just six on the scoreboard.
When Harry Turley Salmons returned to the pavilion things looked ominous – and the loss of Stuart Fielding only added to the fears as Lichfield sunk to 14-3.
Skipper Braddock tried to lead a middle order resistance but he was caught and bowled by Lewis Peat after scoring 15.
Preston Lee followed shortly afterwards to leave the hosts on 40-6.
Robbie Stone looked to dig in and salvage something for Lichfield as he survived 121 balls to score 27, but he ran out of partners as Fordhouses took a steady stream of wickets to end the city side’s innings on 100.
