18 May 2008 - Match Reports.

BGCC Sunday 2nd XI vs Astwood Bank

Having been on the wrong end of a heavy defeat the week before, Barnards Green CC Sunday 2^nd XI entered this Sunday League fixture against Astwood Bank looking to get their campaign back on track

Having won the toss on green, but very firm track, skipper Marek Wajzer had no problem in asking Astwood Bank to bat first. Openers Underhill and Bowes got off to a quick start with a mixture of orthodox and unorthodox shots. With the openers removed for 24 and 30 respectively, the middle order fell away to the bowling of Anshuman (2 for 34), Sherliker (3 for 18) and Jamie Longmore (2 for 21). Following the collapse, and leaving the Bank on 80 for 7, P Boycott (65) and W Bowes (22) set about rebuilding the innings and batted very sensibly and took the score beyond the 180 marker.

Once both of these were removed by Bradley (1 for 57) and D Price (2 for 46) the innings finished shortly afterwards with a total of 187 on the scoreboard

The Green were confident of chasing the total down, with a batting line up full of experience and positive players. The openers Dick Brown and Chris Horne saw the first few overs off with sensible batting and running, until the 8^th over, when Brown decided to change the game and smashed 32 off the over, sending the spectators running for cover in the pavilion with 4 sixes in the over.

With Brown being removed for 53 in the 10^th over, this brought Andy Wheeler to the crease, who decided to carry on where Brown had left off. He pulled anything short to the boundary and drove anything full to the boundary, he was finally caught for 89, including 8 sixes and 8 fours, in the 18^th over

This left Matt Higgs (11 not out) and Chris Horne (21 not out), who had been stood at the non strikers end whilst Brown and Wheeler had been causing carnage, to score the winning runs in the 20^th over

This was a very solid win for the green, who take confidence into there game at home against Stourbridge on Sunday 1^st June