SOFT centred Barnt Green CC must become harder to beat if they are to move up the Premier Division table, believes captain Simon Froggatt.

Froggatt has pin-pointed his team's inability to hold on for a draw when things are going wrong as one of the main reasons why the defending champions have struggled this summer.

Barnt Green have yet to draw a game this season and have lost four league matches - one more than the whole of the 2005 campaign.

Froggatt said: "If we had drawn four of the matches we had lost then we'd be in the top five. We have to become a lot harder to beat if we want to move up the table.

"The batting is coming together now but I'm worried about the bowling, we're still not getting it right."

Barnt Green have another season defining weekend approaching. Home matches against bottom side Shrewsbury this Saturday and Sunday's National Knockout Cup match against Caythorpe will decide whether Green's fortunes are improving or remain in the doldrums.

Green beat Nottinghamshire side Caythorpe in the cup's semi-final in 2005.

Froggatt said: "I still feel we have something to say in the league, we will help decide the outcome of who wins the division.

"But it's no good looking too far ahead. We need to be winning games consistently to give ourselves a chance of moving up the table.

"We've also got a massive game against Caythorpe who will no doubt be gunning for revenge."

Froggatt is the only doubt for the weekend's big matches with the calf strain that has plagued him all season.

The captain admits that it's been difficult to find his form because of the disruption.

He said: "It's been hard for me this season. I've only batted three times all season. Normally I've played that much in April.

"I'll play in the seconds if I'm fit and see if I'm okay for the Caythorpe game. I don't feel I've had a chance to prove myself this season. I had an injury at the start of the season and just when I was getting fit the rain really hit our fixtures."

Both home games start at 1pm this weekend.