Barnards Green cricket Club Match Reports.
 
 

 

 

 


July 2nd 2005

BGCC 2nd X vs Netherton.

Barnardsgreen were forced to make team changes for different reasons,included in the team were past stalwarts of the club Dave Creese and Martin Jones who were drafted into the side at late notice.But once again it was the talented youth of the club who took the honours in a comprehensive victory against a competitive Netherton side.

Jon Lewis and Phil Harris opened the innings ,Harris was well caught in the gully for a duck,this brought Liam paddock into bat earlier than hoped.Lewis and Paddock patientley rebuilt the innings against the best opening attack faced this season.The Netherton bowlers were producing movement off the pitch and in the air .Lewis and Paddock worked hard for runs and had moved onto 79 off 21 overs when Paddock was caught behind for a gritty 29.This brought Lewis Hooper to the wicket ,his clean hitting style encouraged Lewis to go on the attack,this pair scored freely Lewis passing 50 with a series of well struck fours. Hooper was bowled for 30 when the score was 158 in the 35th over.Jason Brewer was yorked first ball bringing skipper spencer to the wicket.Jon Lewis continued to hit the boundry with regular frequency ,he brought up his maiden 100  in the 40th over.A fine innings which at first he had to work hard and then punished any loose bowling,hopefully this will be the first of many centuries he scores for the green.Spencer was out going for another big hit for 26,eventually Jon Lewis perished for 118 but not before his innings which included 21 fours had put the green in a strong position.Heaton 14 and Scullion 11 added useful runs ,Creese was notout again as the green finished their innings on 251.

Nethertons opening batsmen struggled against the expierence of Scullion and the youthful Harris after 11 overs they were 33 for 1,Martin Jones was introduced into the attack he bowled Cullwick for 11 and was just beginning to find his line and length when he pulled up lame with a hamstring injury when chasing a ball in the outfield.Skipper Spencer then turned to spin in the form of young Lewis Hooper and the evergreen Dave Creese.Hooper bowled an impressive line ,he had the batsmen in struggling to pick his variations in spin and flight.Creese found his old nagging line removing Nethertons skipper Buttery for 41.But it was the teenager Hooper who stole the show taking 5 for 28 off 11 overs .Paddock replaced Creese and helped Hooper finish the Netherton innings on 128.only Buttery 41 and Cullwick 39 showed any resistence for the visitors .Leaving the green victors by 123 runs.The green took 24 points from what on paper was going to be a hard game.Full credit should go to Jon Lewis on his maiden century and Lewis Hooper for his fine bowling display,who said that you cant win anything with youngsters in the side.

Many thanks to match sponsors INTERKEY

 

Nertherton vs BGCC 1st XI

 

On Saturday Barnards Green travelled to Netherton and although all had the job in hand as priority, the unfinished business off last years 1st team knockout final still niggled the backs of their minds.As neither Smedley nor the accommodating skipper could muster a coin between them Smedley correctly chose the hand with the daisy in and chose to bowl first with the look of Netherton’s track living up to its reputation.Williams (0-37-12) and Harrison (0-46-9) started proceedings as usual, Harrison especially with something to prove this week in particular. Immediately the ball went through the top of the pitch but the home openers look accustom to its behaviour and got off to a solid start. R. Oseland (92) survived a caught behind appeal and proceeded to find the gaps through gully. At 80 for none Netherton looked to have a solid platform and skipper Smedley turned to spin.Flynn started well but it was the introduction of leg spinner Jez Clarke (1 –40) which brought the breakthrough after starting tightly his first loose ball was smashed to the mid wicket boundary where Hooper pulled off a magnificent diving catch, this was to be one of the first of many catches which separated the teams. Flynn then picked up his first wicket leaving Netherton 94-2.

With R Oseland already set and with the accompaniment of  big hitting  Stibbon the green had to rebuild as the pair batted sensibly.Smedley rotated the bowlers and after Williams came back for a short spell Paul Drinkwater was introduced mixing off and leg spin with immediate effect he caught and bowled Oseland and went on to take 4-21 off 7 with Flynn at the other end 3-51 off 13.At 170 for 2 the green looked in trouble and a big total ominous but with hard fought work in the field and every wicket owing to well taken catches or run outs  the green must take great pride out of taking the next 8 wickets for the loss of just 45 runs bowling the home side out for 218 in the 49th over.

In Reply Lewis departed early run out for 4, this bought Flynn to the crease and after surviving an early chance he and Rich Williams settled well and looked in the form they have showed all year.Flynn was the first to pass his fifty at the same time passing the 600 run milestone but then fell shortly after, LBW to Iqbal (1-52 off 12) .Rich Williams followed shortly after for another solid 57. This left the green at 154 for 3 And having to rebuild with new bats Drinkwater and Tim Clarke at the crease S oseland (2-49 off15) bowled an excellent spell of off breaks tying the greens middle order down whilst doing so it was the re introduction of opener abbott which broke this partnership getting Drinkwater(24) and Tim Clarke (2) both trying to work the ball to leg.At 169 for 5 but with still 16 overs remaining the green were to rely on the strength and depth of there line up to see them home Wicket keeper Binks departed without troubling the scorers and the green found themselves 181 for 6. New batsmen Mark Hooper and Jez Clarke did the maths in the middle and set about knocking off the remaining 38 runs off 9 overs.After not going to the middle since a return from injury it took Clarke 12 balls to get up to speed with the game causing some nervousness on the sidelines however  Hooper and Clarke reached the boundary with the bad ball and ran well between the wickets when hitting the gaps.As the Netherton skipper couldn’t see any signs of the game now going his way he juggled the bowling frantically but Clarke smashed the winning runs through the covers taking the green home by 4 wickets and 2.2 overs to spare. Clarke and Hooper both finishing on 22 not out.Barnards Green go into the half way point of the season 21 points clear of Bromyard in second, and will have to work especially hard in order to repeat this form in the second half.

 

BGCC 3rd XI vs Old Hill

Saturday saw the visit of Old Hill to the Newlands ground for what may well prove to be a relegation battle.

Stand-in captain, Cyril Dean, lost the toss and was surprised but happy to be asked to field first on a very green wicket.Fourteen-year-old James Scullion made a dream start by bowling the Old Hill ex-Birmingham League opener for nought with an absolute peach.

Whilst Chris Hill whirled away at one end, the youngsters took the wickets at the other.

Scullion ended up with a superb 4-43, Sam Beaumont bowling with good controlled aggression and using the bounce to good effect finished on 2-28 off 10 overs. Tom Clack was also rewarded for keeping the ball up with a good wicket incredibly caught by Robbie Lewis at gully.

Hill polished off the tail to finish on 3-15 from his 12 overs.

Tea was taken with Old Hill bowled out for 159 off 44 overs to leave the Green quietly confident.

A bad start was made with Nick Rogers being stumped by the keeper who was standing back but Lee Brookes in partnership with Dick Brown soon started playing there shots.

Although these two occasionally took the aerial route they soon took the game away from Old Hill as they amassed 88 from 18 overs before Brookes finally fell for 29.

Brown cut and carved his way to 59 not out and Mark Perkins played some lusty blows at the end to finish on 26 not out to leave the Green victors by 7 wickets with a full 16 overs to spare.

A good 24 points sees the Green out of the bottom three and full of confidence for the visit of Old Elizabethans next week.Our thanks go to match day sponsors A.K Lewis Builders.

 

Belbroughton vs BGCC Singles.

Belbroughton inflicted a surprise defeat upon the Green ‘Singles’ to dent any hopes of League honours but an off day in the bowling department allowed the opposition not only get close but surpass a challenging total.

The day started with an eventful trip to North Worcestershire. Licky End was seen, so to Blakedown church but when the players arrived they were greeted with a shower tray full of water and a damp wicket. Ratters made the pointless journey to the square to call incorrectly yet again and was not surprised to see the batters already padded up on his return. Edwards started his spell with erratic bounce and exaggerated sideways movement. Freeman was always under the thumb and fell at extra cover to a forward defensive but Curtis and Doughty were content to defend, leave and dispatch the bad ball. The score ticked over and the change bowlers had more bad rather than unplayable deliveries. Doughty now deposited many to the boundary as the run rate increased. Edwards completed a miserly 12 overs for 32 runs. Doughty then tucked into enormous helpings of Pontley offspin to take himself past fifty for the second successive week but he perished when caught in the deep for 62. Pennington replaced Edwards and his left round had the batters swishing thin air. The languid Curtis fell to one that popped for 31. White and Metcalfe never came to terms with the variable track and the innings was in danger of imploding. Rob Tyler showed great maturity and a hobbling Ratcliffe put away the bad ball. Ratcliffe’s injury worsened bringing a runner to the crease that questioned White and Freeman’s intelligence, the rate increased but disaster struck the innings with both players out in successive balls. Tyler 27 and Ratcliffe 37 to give Pennington his fourth and fifth wicket. Brookes and Churchill added twenty valuable runs off the last three overs to take maximum batting points and the Green were content at tea.

The Belbroughton response was one of contrasting styles, the Green bowling attack was woeful. Whittlestone had little difficulty in waiting for the bad ball and all too seldom did he see an unplayable delivery. Knights was content to nudge his way towards a score. Brookes was taken from the attack to be replaced by Doughty, for the first and only time did the Green exert any pressure or have any control in proceedings. Whittlestone had one that popped and was caught in cover. Doughty continued to ask questions of the batters and secured a second wicket with Pardoe trapped in front. Ross and Knights struggled to score and the Green brought MacMillan into the attack. Ross elected to play in the arc, fine leg to midwicket, and rode his luck with top edges, swing and a miss and the occasional one out of the middle. Knights was all at sea to the leg spinner and was given the option of a piano to see if he could play that. Doughty completed his twelve for just 28 runs, as Belbroughton required 97 from the last fifteen overs. Ross kept finding the boundary to keep his side interested whilst Knights enjoyed more luck away from MacMillan. Spiers eventually bowled Knights for 49. This brought old campaigner Kings to the wicket and suddenly some mighty blows had his side in with a great chance. With 30 required off fours overs suddenly the Green were bowling wide after wide, but you cannot signal wide when you hit the stumps and Churchill had Kings stumps splayed. Pontley hit a huge six to put pressure back on the Green but Spiers extracted some revenge two balls later. It was not enough to save the Green as Ross smashed another behind square to seal victory for his side by 5 wickets with three balls to spare.