Shropshire’s two Birmingham League premier division high fliers, Shrewsbury and Wellington, misfired with the bat to suffer heavy defeats.

Shrewsbury were knocked off the top of the table as they were thumped by six wickets at bottom club Wolverhampton.

All the damage was done in the first half of the game as Shrewsbury were skittled for just 134 inside 39 overs.

Ed Foster top scored with 28, while Tom Cox and Will Parton were the only other players to pass 20.

And, despite Elliott Green taking 2-37, the total didn’t prove anywhere near challenging enough for Wolverhampton who secured their first victory of the season inside 27 overs.

“We should have scored more than we did,” said disappointed captain Ed Foster.

“I think had we scored another 50 runs, we would have been in with an excellent chance of winning the game.

“But for nobody to get more than 30 was pretty average.”

The defeat means Shrewsbury slipped down to third having been leap-frogged by Barnt Green and Knowle & Dorridge.

“It’s still very tight but it goes to show that you can’t really afford a bad performance,” Foster added.

Wellington looked in the box seat as they dismissed Barnt Green for 142 at Orleton Park, Mark Downes continuing his fine form with 5-42.

But Wellington made a disastrous start with the bat as they found themselves 0-3, 2-4 and 16-6.

There was something of a recovery with Downes finishing unbeaten on 31 and Micky Davidson hitting 41 but Wellington were finally dismissed for a mere 94.

And the home side — while acknowledging their own part in the downfall – were also furious with some of the umpiring decisions.

“We were very upset by the quality of the umpiring and, in particularly, some of the decisions which were answered in the affirmative in favour of (former Warwickshire ace) Dougie Brown,” said spokesman Terry O’Connor.

“Having said that, we weren’t good enough to overcome that.”

Six Wellington batsman fell without scoring.

By JAMES GARRISON