3rd July 2010 - Match Reports.
BGCC 4ths vs Brintons. Brintons vs BGCC 3rds

Barnards Green Captain, Dick Brown, won the toss and put Brinton’s in to bat on another hot afternoon. The previous week had seen over 700 runs scored on the Newland pitch and when the opening Brinton’s pairing of Matt Davies and Lee Stuart reached 97 for the first wicket it seemed likely that The Green would be chasing another large total. Chris Hill and Jack Mackintosh bowled tidily but the normally dangerous Hill in particular was unable to find help from the pitch. Leg-spinner Steve Hunt was introduced for a couple of overs to try to end the partnership but the run-rate continued to soar. Elliott Hennessy eventually made the breakthrough bowling Davies for a well-earned 50 with a ball that kept low whilst, at the other end, Dave Price bowled well to stem the flow of runs. Hennessy picked up two more wickets as Harry Dickens (9) and Liam Wills (4) found the safe hands of Graham Baddeley and Mark Perkins respectively but with Stuart still at the crease, aided by some appalling fielding, runs continued to flow. Only when Dave Price and his keeper conspired to remove Stuart for an excellent 72 did the home side feel that they were back in the match. Steve James (21) offered stubborn resistance for a while before becoming Price’s second victim falling to a good catch by Chris Horne. Hill’s second spell saw the end of Trevor Paddock and Mackintosh returned to bowl Steve Hyams. Baddeley produced his second fine catch of the day to remove Tom Davies and give Price his third wicket but with Mark Meese (21*) running out of partners and overs Brintons’ innings closed on 237 for 8 when at one time a total of 280 looked more likely.

The Green’s skipper favoured experience over youth as he sent in an opening pair of Julian Hall and Graham Baddeley. G Davies and Steve James for Brintons were able to extract a degree of bounce and movement from the pitch which had eluded The Green and scoring was difficult. Hall (10) played on to a delivery from James  with the score on 26 and new batsman Mark Perkins was promoted and given the responsibility of  putting the Green back on track. James claimed his second victim by bowling Baddeley for 19 introducing Dick Brown to the fray. Mark Meese accounted for both batsmen but not before the pair had advanced the total to 97 with Brown (26) and Perkins (19) both caught at mid-wicket. The new batsmen Elliot Hennessy finally showed the power which he has threatened to unleash all season and struck the ball to all parts of the ground in a superb innings of 48 which included eight fours and two sixes. Chris Hill again looked in good form hitting 18 before being caught. Ewan Wilson, having struggled this season for form with the bat, came to the crease knowing that he would need to support first Hill and then Chris Horne if the Green were to achieve victory and he set about his task in a mature and accomplished manner. Horne, batting with a runner, was able to concentrate on his stroke play as the target grew nearer but both teams knew that victory could go either way until a wide delivery from Stewart was bizarrely  converted into 7 runs and the pressure on the home team was lifted. Horne struck a lusty boundary to give The Green victory with some nine balls to spare as he finished on 32 not out with Wilson on 15 not out.

This was a good game with a tight finish. Brinton’s bowling was better than The Green’s but The Green had more depth to their batting. Thanks to both teams for an enjoyable game played in the right spirit and to match day sponsors J G Hall Garden Services and A J Taylor Electrical Contractors

BGCC Seconds ‘v’ Worcester Seconds
On yet another dry, hot and sunny Saturday BGCC Seconds travelled the short distance to local competitors Worcester CC. Visiting skipper Doughty won the toss and invited the home side to have first use the rock-hard wicket. Opening bowlers Adams (10-0-46-2) and Clack (7-1-28-1) bowled with decent pace although their accuracy was, at times, a little wayward and was dispatched appropriately. The Worcester innings steadily plodded on, losing wickets at regular intervals, each one pegging the scoring back just enough to favour the Green players. New bowlers Howie and Loader both were unlucky not to pick up wickets with the fielding looking shabby at times. Scores of 34-1, 65-2, 88-3, 107-4, 170-5 suddenly faded away with the introduction of the spin twins of Hooper (15-1-60-3) and Drinkwater (9.1-1-40-4) who pegged the scoring back whilst taking wickets with ease. The Green fielding unit, normally solid and dependable dropped 4 catches as well as giving away 4 over-throws for the second week running. Despite this, the bowling forced the home innings to collapse somewhat to 234 all out just inside their 50 over allocation.
Doughty (9) and Wheeler (46) opened the innings and, as is becoming a regular occurrence, Wheeler dispatched the bowling to all parts with venom, force and gusto before the former fell to an excellent slip catch by Padden (Padden took 3 of the finest slip catches you’ll ever see on a cricket field). Wheeler soon perished, to the inswing of Elleray, pairing Clarke (28) and Curtis (6) at the crease. Curtis fell victim to Padden’s safe hands and Drinkwater (8) followed suit to perhaps the best of the lot, a diving effort across the vacant second and third slip. The young pairing of Loader (20) and Brewer (25) forged a stylish partnership of 49 and swung the pendulum of momentum away from Worcester and ever-so-slightly towards the Green. Tom Clack (14) replaced Loader and after looking set was stumped high and dry mid-wicket allowing the mercurial talent of Hooper (43*) to be unleashed. Hooper, a much under-rated batsmen with 70’s to his name at this level looked assured playing both pace and spin with ease and style. A clatter of wickets brought Adams to the crease for the first time this year. Adams (15*) nudged, pulled and plonked his runs whilst Hooper bashed, scooped and slapped towards the 38 runs required for victory. The batsmen survived a couple of enthusiastic appeals for LBW, led especially from those furthest from the action, to secure an excellent, hard fought victory and 20 points for the Green.

 

 

On another glorious sunny Saturday afternoon the Green's third team travelled to Brintons hoping that their improved form of the last few weeks would help them reverse the hammering they received from Brintons earlier in the season.After losing the toss the Green took to the field ,openers Jones and the prolific Maiden took the score to 18 when Ryan Scullion made a break through having Jones caught and bowled for 10, Smith was then caught by Adam Croad off the bowling of Ian Scullion for 8, this brought Colley in to join Maiden together they put on 87 for the third wicket until leg spinner Dan Hunt tempted Colley and had him stumped by the evergreen Dave White for a hard hit 49. Skipper PHIL Spencer bowled Parker for 1 then had Maiden caught by Cullity for 82, then contributed to the bizarre run out of Homer for 36 after dropping a soft return catch and deflecting the ball onto the stumps catching Homer well out of his ground, after a few lusty blows from Bryan 34 and Tonks 10, the innings was wrapped up by the return of the two teenage opening bowlers Ryan Scullion 4 for 29 and Jack Cullity who took a wicket to go with his three fine catches. Brintons were all out in the 48th over for 251 giving the Green 51 overs to reach their total.
The Green in reply struggled against the bounce and movement produced from the very tall opening bowlers  Waldron and Bryan , Adam Croad was caught behind without bothering the scorers, Ratcliffe soon followed also caught behind for 6, the struggling Jon Lewis was caught for 16 leaving the Green 40 for 3 after 18 overs, to make matters worse Roger Thompson deflected an attempted hook shot into his face causing a deep cut which saw him retire hurt and sent on his way to hospital. Teenager Ryan Scullion was joined at the crease by the enigmatic Jason Brewer, both Scullion and Brewer threw caution to the wind and hit out at the now tiring bowlers a series of boundaries saw the Green' score race along to 115 when Brewer picked out a leg side boundary fielder and was caught for 29, Scullion was then joined by Jack Cullity and together they showed great maturity running well between the wickets and punishing any loose deliveries, Scullion was finally out when he was bowled by the returning Waldron for a fine 43, Dan Hunt soon got off the mark with a couple of leg side boundaries ,the Green required 8 an over for the last 11 overs and the two youngsters maintained the run rate with quick running between the wickets and the occasional boundary, Hunt fell caught in the deep for 17 with the green still 80 runs short, the evergreen Dave White made his intentions clear by smashing his first ball to the boundary, with a flurry of boundaries and quick running the home team's heads began to drop and Cullity and White took advantage, 40 runs were still required when White was bowled for 28, the Green's skipper was pleased to see Roger Thompson return from Kidderminster hospital with 5 stitches above his eye, the old soldier Thompson joined Cullity and continued the run chase Thompson was in aggressive mood smashing any loose deliveries leaving Cullity to cleverly rotate the strike, fittingly Jack Cullity guided the ball to the boundary to bring up his maiden half century in men's cricket and to secure a fine win for the Green by 3 wickets with 9 balls to spare, Cullity finished 51 no and Thompson 30no. Best bowler for Brintons was Liam Waldon with 4 for 73 off 17 overs.
A fine win gaining the Green 24 points especially as the main contributors were teenagers Ryan Scullion and Jack Cullity who between them took 5 wickets, 4 catches and scored 96 runs, well done lads!

BGCC 1st XI vs Worcester CC

Barnards Green maintained their position at the top of the table with a hard fought winning draw against local rivals Worccester CC. 

Despite losing both openers for single figure scores and also Liam Paddock for 9 all to the bowling of Weston before the score had reached 70 Golder and Harris built a valuable partnership against disciplined seam bowling from the visitors. 

When Golder fell for a well made 36 Harris continued his mature and watchful innings with the aid of Chris Smedley who continued his aggressive approach at the crease.  Harris eventually fell when Weston returned to the attack for 44 and Smedley quickly followed for 34 captured by Wagstaff attempting to clear the rope at mid-wicket. Some lusty blows from Tim Williams(19) and a run a ball contribution of 16no from Binks lifted the Green’s score to a competitive but slightly under par 211 with Weston the pick of the bowlers with 6-62. 

The Worcester reply got off to a dismal start with Horton caught behind for a duck off Willliams. Simon Keyte(batting with a  runner) and McKay looked to build a partnership before Keyte was brilliantly caught by Hooper in the deep off the bowling of Smedley for 18. Returning holidaymaker Ford quickly entered the act rapidly picking up the wickets of McKay(25), Barratt(4) and skipper Kelleher(0) to leave the visitors struggling at 54-5. At this point the Green looked odds on to secure another home victory but Dan Keyte and James Able had other ideas as they built a fine rearguard action; watchful in defense and brutal in attack both reached excellent half centuries and changed the tide of the game as Worcester transformed their innings from a  losing cause to a comfortable run-a-ball chase.

With Smedley and Ford running out of overs Williams gambled on George Rhodes to give him a couple of tight overs to make the run chase as difficult as possible in the closing stages and was more that rewarded when the youngsters display of flight and guile captured not only the wickets of both Able and Keyte but also the scalp of Weston to once again change the course of the game. With the required rate approaching 9 per over Walters and Ellis were content to block the final 26 balls to leave North End Lane with a losing draw for the visitors.