Barnards Green cricket Club Match
Reports.
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7th June 2003 Colwall 3rds vs Barnards Green 3rds |
7th June 2003 Enville vs Barnards Green 1st
XI |
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On Saturday
Barnards Green 3rds took the short trip over the Hills to one of the best
grounds that can be found anywhere in the UK. Ghost Meadow at Colwall was the venue for this Crusader Sports
3rd elevens double fixture against Colwall 3rds and on an excellent
batting strip, the Green skipper decided to take first knock. Openers Cyril Dean and Michael Genever
found early runs difficult to come by particularly against the experience of
the ageless Kevin Bayliss who bowled 8 overs for just eight runs and in the
process having Dean caught for 11.
Rob Lewis then joined Genever, but with 7 leg side fielders, his
scoring opportunities were severely reduced.
Both batsmen eventually grew in confidence and the run rate increased
as they put on 140 runs for the second wicket. Unfortunately they both got themselves out in consecutive
overs, Lewis for 73 and young Mike Genever for an impressive 47. From being in a position where a score of
240 looked likely, the Green then lost their way somewhat and the introduction
of the impressive Henderson proved decisive, collecting 2 for 26 off 6
overs. Some late big hitting by Dave
Price (10) and skipper Robin Longmore (18no) saw the Green limp to 202 off
their 45 overs. Colwalls response
was solid if not spectacular as Andy Bishop (56) batted sensibly and Steve
Hill (32) hit the ball hard although both gave chances early on which were
not taken. When Genever dismissed
Hill and Rob Lewis dismissed Hill and Purser, the Green thought they were in
with a chance of victory. However,
young Will Coomer had other ideas and he batted with great maturity to hit an
excellent 71 not out and with James Shepard (6no) they saw Colwall home in
the last over of the game to win by 4 wickets. Rob Lewis picked up 4 for 25 and Mike Genever bowled a tidy
spell to finish with 2 for 56 off 14 overs. An excellent game
played in exactly the right spirit on a beautiful cricket ground with a
wonderful tea. What else are
Saturdays for? Barnards
Green Singles vs Alvechurch and Hopwood |
Barnards Green
visited Enville on Saturday in a Worcester cricket League division 3
encounter. Skipper Rich Williams
again won the toss and again decided to bat first on what looked to be a good
wicket but which offered something to the bowlers. With the bowlers gaining exaggerated swing and seam movement
the Green batsmen found the going hard and soon lost Jez Clarke with the
score on 8, caught behind. The in
form Dan Flynn joined Rich Williams and the pair almost immediately managed
to increase the tempo. However, when
Williams was out leg before for 16, the Green had still only managed to reach
56 for 2 after 17 overs. Paul
Drinkwater then joined Flynn and the two left handers started to play strokes
around the wicket and ran particularly well with long boundaries and a slow
outfield. Both struck the ball very
cleanly and were mainly untroubled.
Flynn reached a third successive hundred for the Green with another
display of awesome strokes.
Drinkwater reached a well deserved 50 and both then started to
accelerate the scoring. In hot, humid
conditions fatigue then began to set in and both fell to tired shots. Both were stumped, Flynn for 128 and
Drinkwater for 76. Smedley and T.
Clarke provided fresh impetus to the closing overs and with Enville
noticeably tired in the field the Green managed to amass an impressive 273
for 4. Enville in reply never seemed to attempt to
keep up with the required run rate, although tight spells from Scullion and
Tim Williams didn’t make things easy.
T. Williams managed to get the first break through assisted by a fine
slip catch by Doughty, who then added a second wicket himself. Williams then later returned to the attack
to clean bowl captain Roberts and then had Such caught at short leg by Jez
Clarke. Chris Smedley then ran out
Banks with a direct hit and the Green sniffed possible victory. However Elbro proved defiant at the end
and Enville managed to force a losing draw, closing on 160 for 5. Another fine performance from the Green
gained them 14 points. |
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Alvechurch &
Hopwood easily hung on for a draw on yet another ‘belter’ of a wicket at
Newland when they visited the Barnards Green ‘singles’ in this Division 5
encounter. Freeman won the
toss for Barnards Green and despite not having his regular opening pair
available (Genever locked in a cold store and Freeman nursing a groin starin)
had no hesitation in electing to bat. A fine opening burst from Scott soon
had its reward but Birch and Beavan settled down and scored rapidly until
Beavan became Scott’s second victim for 17. Phil Birch looked as if he had
never been away as he peppered the boundary but his new partner Dave White
was quickly into his stride pulling and driving with venom. It was however
one of more unusual starts to an innings as he failed to give a chance. The
pair added 65 runs as everyone settled down for an afternoon of ball finding
when Birch lost his middle stump for 53. White now dominated dispatching all
bowlers with consumptious ease and despite losing partners at regular
intervals looked destined for a fine hundred until he went for his trademark
slog sweep and was deceived by Smith for a superb 87. Freeman (33no), being
made to run by the tireless Leech (18no), joined the fray at number nine and
the pair added 60 runs in the last seven overs. With Freeman hoisting a huge
six this left the Green on a healthy 276 for 7. The Alvechurch
response was soon in tatters as Churchill and Leech ripped out the top order
leaving them perilously placed at 47 for 5. Any hopes of a quick win were dispelled
with Alvechurch skipper James Upton playing a magnificent captains innings,
he was aided by Davis as the pair defied all that the Green could throw at
them. With everyone around the bat scoring runs was never difficult but the
pair were chanceless. Freeman used seven bowlers in quest for a breakthrough
but it never came until Davis (55) scooped a catch with two overs left. Upton
completed an excellent century to save his side whilst Scott smacked a rapid
16 to secure an extra bonus point. The Green’s early burst of wickets when
Churchill (2 – 40) and Leech (2 – 43) tore the heart out of Alvechurch left
them with only one objective, not to lose, this made for a turgid final 25
overs and the ‘singles’ had to settle for the winning draw. |
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