Half-centuries from Ben Rex and Ali Zaryab plus three wickets for Amun Bal and Tommy Rex failed to prevent Kenilworth Wardens slipping to a third consecutive Birmingham Premier League Division Two defeat.

In a thrilling finish, Harborne claimed a one-wicket home win thanks to a determined effort from last pair Alex Kirkpatrick and Henry Arnold who survived nearly an hour to take the hosts from 143-9 to the 187 required.

Wardens had earlier recovered from 46 for four to 161 for five thanks to a fine partnership between Ben Rex and Zaryab only for their last six wickets to fall for the addition of only 22 further runs. Jasper Davidson who finished with 5-54 did the bulk of the damage in a fine second spell.

Visiting skipper Harry Johnson was phlegmatic in defeat.

"We lost an important toss in damp conditions," he said, "but we battled hard and the partnership between Ali and Ben put us in a good position.

"Ben has been brilliant these past two weeks in making a couple of 60s. He's always been an accomplished player and he's added an element of power to his game which now allows him to feel at home in the middle-order.

"Unfortunately, we were not able to capitalise on this foundation and we were a few short at half way.

"It was then great to see our seamers running in hard and taking early wickets, and we held our catches in the opening overs to get them five down quickly.

"We kept chipping away and it was extremely frustrating that the tenth wicket put on over 40 to win the game.

"We had a couple of sharp chances in the field which on another day would have stuck, but unfortunately it didn't happen for us this week and we ended up on the wrong side of the result."

Home skipper Tom Arnold (3-33) grabbed three early scalps before Wardens' fit-again Pakistani pro Zaryab was joined by the in-form Ben Rex.

The pair gradually built the day's only substantial partnership which flourished against the change bowlers until Davidson's return ended Rex's contribution at 61 – a second consecutive half-century which came from 83 balls with nine boundaries.

The visitors were still eyeing a total well beyond 200, but they reckoned without Davidson who soon grabbed three more quick wickets to leave Zaryab in the company of the tail.

And when the Central Punjab all-rounder was eventually ninth out for a patient 97-ball 59 the end came quickly – and five overs ahead of the scheduled 55.

After the early dismissal of Indian pro Swapnil Gugale, Harborne's response progressed to 41 before fine spells from Tommy Rex (3-49) and Bal (3-40) ripped through the middle order.

And despite the in-form Tejas Wagle then weighing in with an even-time 40, when Derbyshire paceman George Scrimshaw claimed two lower-order scalps Wardens were firm favourites to end their losing run.

However, Kirkpatrick grafted his way to an excellent 65-ball unbeaten 28 which in the company of no.11 Henry Arnold and with the assistance of a couple of missed chances saw the hosts to a memorable one-wicket win in the 48th over.