Wombourne have been rocked by the loss of Liam Hughes for the rest of the season after the opening bowler suffered a stress fracture of his back.

The teenager, who is contracted to Derbyshire, was given the diagnosis on Monday after missing last Saturday’s draw at Wem.

He won’t bowl again this season, but captain Andy Shorter is keeping his fingers crossed he may yet be given the green light to bat next month.

“It’s a real blow for Liam,” said Shorter. “We’re all gutted for him because we know what effort he puts in.”

Hughes’ absence has been compounded by fellow seamer Calvin Priest being ruled out for up to three weeks after pulling his calf in only his third over against Wem.

Ben Shorter and Carl Bust both took three wickets as the Shropshire side made 259-8, a total Wombourne never challenged, closing on 178-6.

Wicketkeeper John Smith returns for Saturday’s trip to Olton & WW after recovering from bruised fingers.

• Pelsall captain Paul Grainger has pinpointed the next two games as crucial to his side’s survival chances.

The Walsall Road outfit did their hopes no harm with a 155 run thrashing of rock bottom Solihull Blossomfield.

But Grainger’s fifth from bottom team now face two more relegation threatened sides, entertaining fourth bottom Wem on Saturday before making the short trip to Old Wulfs Tettenhall seven days later.

Pelsall go into the weekend with a 17 point cushion over the relegation zone.

Grainger will miss the game because of work commitments, but they are looking for another big performance from overseas star Lachlan Oswald-Jacobs.

The Australian smashed the Blossomfield attack for an unbeaten 144, while Baines Ridgeway chipped in with 64 as Pelsall made 299-5, a total the home side never looked like challenging.

Old Wulfs look doomed after they crashed to a 106-run defeat at home to Whitchurch.

Pelsall are hosting the finals of their own Twenty 20 knock out competition on August 19.

The action gets underway at 10.30am at their Walsall Road ground, with activities planned throughout the day.