IT was more misery for Royston as they failed to secure their first win of the season in a close tussle with struggling Camden. After a narrow defeat last week, Royston put Camden in, and opened with Richard Temple (12-3-45-3) and Chris Hootton (9-2-26-2)

IT was more misery for Royston as they failed to secure their first win of the season in a close tussle with struggling Camden.

After a narrow defeat last week, Royston put Camden in, and opened with Richard Temple (12-3-45-3) and Chris Hootton (9-2-26-2).

And in the fourth over Hootton struck, dismissing Sutton for a duck, with Ken Graham taking a fine low diving catch at slip.

By the half-way stage Camden had reached 72-3, and Royston seemed to be on top with Hootton grabbing his second wicket.

However, Royston struggled for the next 10 overs, during which the ball seemed to find the gaps in the field too regularly for their liking.

Martin Leary then chipped in with a wicket as Royston begun to work through Camden's middle order, and it was only Wilkinson who was making any progress, reaching 71 before he was dismissed lbw by Temple.

Ben Warren and Temple both picked up their third wickets as Royston looked to bowl Camden out, but the visitors managed to hold on to reach 190-8.

The total looked an obtainable one, but the Camden attack bowled tightly, with Wilkinson (12-0-31-0) and Dixon (12-3-52-3) taking three wickets in 10 overs.

Ken Graham was bowled in the fourth over, and Paul Miller suffered a debatable lbw call, with Matt Graham also going to a controversial decision.

Craig Holson came in and provided the necessary guile by playing some superb scoring shots, and he quickly struck up a successful partnership with Temple - one that looked as though it might mount a credible challenge.

In the 37th over, Royston reached 150, but unfortunately lost Holson after a mix up with Temple for a well-earned 68.

Following Holson's dismissal, the next two batsmen both went for ducks as Dixon and Khan both claimed wickets.

Going into the final two overs, Royston needed 12 runs to win, but with Temple at the non-striker's end on 43, Warren holed out, and Hootton was run out to spell an end to any hopes of victory.