Hale Barns First XI suffered a second defeat on the trot after a poor all-round performance at Barrow CC.
Joe Cooper, Christian Dodson and Luke Skade were the only batsmen to make reasonable contributions with the bat, while Sam Smith was the pick of the bowlers as the visitors slumped to a miserable six-wicket loss.
Barns made a flying start through openers Smith and Cooper, who struck five boundaries between them in as many overs before the former departed for 13.
Ryan Holloway removed three of the top four to leave HBCC on 33-3, although Cooper continued to look assured and was ably supported by Dodson.
A quickfire 25 off 23 deliveries from Dodson was a welcome cameo for the away side, but Sultan Raja ended his stay at the crease, while Cooper finally succumbed to Iroshan Da Silva for a patient 39.
Both bowlers doubled their tallies before Da Silva (3-9) claimed his third victim with the dismissal of Skade for 21, which put Barns well and truly on the ropes. And having been in a promising position at 74-3, a Da Silva run out, followed by a third wicket for Raja (3-32) completed a disastrous collapse, as HBCC were bowled out for 114 from 31.5 overs.
Needing early breakthroughs to drag themselves back in contention, Younas Saeed (1-19) and Smith both struck early blows to remove both openers inside four overs.
However, Macca Hooton and Maneesha Nissanka steadied the ship, with Hooton hitting some lusty blows in a counter-attacking effort. A partnership of 48 was broken by Smith (2-24) when Nissanka fell for 13, while Hooton’s crucial knock concluded on 45, after four boundaries and three sixes, with 40 runs still required.
Barns were unable to make further inroads as Jehangir Afridi (18*) and Major Khan (21*) finished the job for Barrow, guiding their team to a comfortable victory.