CONCERNED skipper Andy Sutton is now under no illusions that his Barnt Green side face the prospect of a relegation battle this season following a sobering 10 wicket beating by Smethwick this week in the Birmingham League Premier Division.

Without the use of their Warwickshire quartet of players, the Green looked woefully lightweight and Smethwick took full advantage.

Restricted to a below par 150 all out, Smethwick promptly knocked off the required runs to reach a winning 151 without loss with plenty of overs to spare.

Waqar Saleem carried his bat for 63 not out while opening partner Amrinder Brar kept him company on 76 not out as the pair made light work of the Green's bowling attack

The Green's opening bat Jamie Harrison hit 61 off 66 balls while Ethan Holmes added a belated 44, but a total of 150 was never going to be enough and Sutton admitted: "It's a double edged sword. When we have all four of our Warwickshire players available, we looked a fantastic side. But when we don't have any of them, then we don't look very good at all.

"It gives other players an opportunity but they're not stepping up to the mark at the moment - and I include myself in that.

"Jamie Harrison will be disappointed at the stage when he got out, because he was hitting the ball really well and he should have kicked on, while Ethan did at least give us something to bowl at.

"But I have to admit, we were very poor in the field. We dropped three catches and we didn't bowl well as a unit.

"There was nothing wrong with the wicket, it was simply that we didn't play well enough on it.

"We now have a crucial three week period coming up, starting at Dorridge on Saturday when we play teams currently positioned around us.

"It's vital that we start picking up points from those games, otherwise we're in trouble.

"We have to start playing smarter cricket and just to be able to bat out our overs would be an improvement, rather than the crash, bang, wallop style of cricket we're playing at the moment. We don't seem to be learning and that's as disappointing as it is frustrating.

"The target is already to avoid relegation and we have to improve to achieve that."