Minster are back in the Shepherd Neame Kent League Division 2 drop zone after a miserable batting display against fellow strugglers Orpington on Saturday.

Set a modest target of 171 to win, Minster subsided to 120 all out in 43.2 overs.

Stand-in captain Nathan Nichol admitted: "It was very disappointing, and I told the boys afterwards that unless we improve our batting performance quickly we will end up getting relegated.

"We bowled and fielded as well as we have all season, but none of our batsmen came out of the game with any real credit."

Nichol decided to insert Orpington after winning the toss and it seemed a wise decision as he picked up three quick wickets, and then Mark Tucker kept the momentum going with 4-39.

But all the while Orpington opener Alex Watts was proving a real thorn in Minster’s side. He carried his bat for a superb 88 to enable Orpington to recover from 70-5 to 170 all out and Nichol added: "His innings proved the difference."

The Gilbert Hall wicket was freshened up by a 45-minute rain break early in Minster’s innings.

Nichol said: "We had started off okay but when we came back after the rain break we suddenly lost four wickets for four runs, and you can’t expect to win by doing that no matter what level of cricket you play.

"With that poor batting performance we have thrown away all our good work of recent weeks, and it’s crucial that we win at Holmesdale this Saturday.

"We have to play the top two in the next few weeks after that, and we don’t want to be in the position of having to win our last game to stay up."