The agony: Adam Stainton walks as his wicket falls           Picture:Tim Castle

The Fallopians had got to the second stage of the Cup without hitting a ball after Goldman Sachs had conceded the game.

A stellar VIII had been hand-picked from the finest cricketers for that game ... sadly, come this game, a week later, the stars had flown.

The sight of an injured Philip Barrass batting left handed at number eight (after breaking his more useful right hand in a domestic crisis) summed up the dogged yet ultimately doomed resistance dredged up by the heroes that remained.

Calm and accurate bowling from John Shaw and Jeremy Henderson kept Victoria Lounge on a tight leash, with Justin Roy and James Watt keeping the batsmen on their toes (or ducking under some of Watt's more flighted deliveries).

But their total of 168 proved too high for the doughty Fallopians, who wilted in the evening light, despite a spirited 25 from Jeremy Henderson.

Adam Stainton made a punchy 12 off three boundaries, Simon Hemelryk picked his way to 13 and John Shaw also reached 13, including two well-struck fours.

Long reach: Simon Hemelryk makes contact                    Picture: Tim Castle