The Green
travelled to the picturesque ground at Ross
with a side having six changes from the
previous week. Skipper Spencer won the toss
and chose to bowl first on a damp well worn
wicket. Opening bowlers Sam Spencer and Ryan
Scullion bowled with great control and
movement reducing the home side to 24 for 1
after 10 overs, the wicket of Evans
falling to a fine caught and bowled by Sam
Spencer. The introduction of Phil Spencer
dramatically changed the state of the game,
with a mixture of guile and change of pace
aided by astute field placing reduced the
home side to 70 for 6, the highlight was the
dismissal of the dangerous Bevan for nought,
on the advice of vice skipper Ian Scullion a
fielder was placed in the deep and Bevan
proceeded to chip the ball straight to the
waiting Paul Yorke who gratefully accepted
the chance. Spencer's spell of ten overs
returned the figures of 5 for 36, Scullion
snr shook off the previous nights corporate
entertainment to bowl Barnard for 2, Ryan
Scullion returned to clean bowl King
for 54 the only batsman to post a decent
score, it was then left to Jason Brewer to
wrap up the innings by clean bowling numbers
10 and 11 leaving the home side all out for
138 in 38 overs, a fine display in the field
by the much changed Green side.
With 62 overs available the Green's reply
could not of started any worse, they were
reduced to 3 for 2 with both openers Yorke
and Horne both out for a single. Jon Lewis
joined James Curtis and this pair proceeded
to watchfully repair the innings against the
awkward off cutters from Bevan and the turn
from Tiffen, after 24 overs the Green had
reached 45 for 2 . As the bowlers began to
tire and the batsmen grew in confidence the
score moved along a lot quicker, Lewis in
particular was in full flow pulling and
driving any loose deliveries, this pair
cruised to the target in the 36th over with
Jon Lewis not out 90 and James Curtis not
out 31 playing the supporting role, a fine
partnership of 136 and 20 more points a
reward for a fine team performance.
BGCC 2nd XI vs Pedmore CC
On a warm but breezy June afternoon BGCC second eleven travelled up the M5 to the picturesque Pedmore CC. The home skipper won the toss and elected to have first use of what looked like a decent batting track. Brad Adams (12-1-44-1) and Tom Banks (13-2-82-4) bowled with decent pace, extracting pace and bounce from the deck and were able to reduce their innings to 44-3 inside 10 overs. James Scullion (9-1-45-10 and Jack Cullity (7-1-25-0) entered the fray and were able to slow the scoring rate down by taking the pace off the ball and bowling a consistent off stump line, aided by some smart keeping by Ashlea Brewer. The batsmen became bogged down as they lost wickets at regular intervals and were looking like capitulating at 175-7 after 40 overs but the Green were unable to bowl at the experienced pair of Baggs and Denton who were able to accelerate the innings to a respectable 260-7 in their 50 over allocation.
In reply Skipper Judd Doughty opened with Brewer looking to knock off a score which appeared to be about par on what proved to be a quick, bouncy but reliable wicket surrounded by a slick outfield. Brewer (13), looking composed against the new ball took a risky single to perhaps the best fielder and was run out with a direct hit. Tim Clarke (18) played some delightful shots before being bowled playing inadvertently across the line. With the home bowlers getting excited Doughty (56) and Adam Greaves (62) took a decision to take some time out of the innings (with our recent collapse at Hagley in mind). Both batsmen played with care whilst punishing the bad ball. Once Doughty was out Roger Thompson (11) followed shortly leaving Banks to help guide the team to a succession of bonus points and the losing draw bonuses. Banks (34) highlighted how much his batting has come on in recent months as he scored freely all around the wicket whilst Greaves played with typical gumption.
The innings closed on 206-4 in 50 overs and the Green proved that with a little application they can bat with safety and security and picked up 9 points in the process.
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After
winning the toss and electing to bowl Tim Williams’s Barnards Green team
minus overseas import Andre Russell took to a sun drenched North End Lane to
hopefully build on the solid winning draw away to Redditch.
Carrying the seam attack skipper Williams was soon in on the act capturing
the early wickets of McDonnell and James. With Harris withdrawn from the
attack in favour of spin from Smedley Romsley started to build their first
partnership with veteran Pickering solid in defence and clinical in
dispatching any loose deliveries. He was particularly harsh on full
deliveries from Smedley reeling off 3 glorious cover drives in quick
succession. Supported by Beaumont he guided the visitors into three figure
territory before Williams broke the burgeoning partnership with another fine
display of swing and seam bowling. Unfortunately for Pickering he got
limited support from his middle order and when he was eventually out to
Smedley for a well made 88 the Romsley tail showed spirited resistance to
take their final total to 203. Williams finished a fine 17 over stint with
figures of 6-48 with the other wickets shared between Smedley, Harris and
Hooper.
After
a much needed break both teams took to the field for the second half the
home team confident that a decent batting display would return them 20
points but knowing that another poor batting performance could see the gap
widen to Worcester in pole position. With Hooper and Rhodes both dismissed
early by Beaumont it was left to Golder to steady the ship. After an
indifferent start to the season the experienced Golder used his time at the
crease wisely building a sensible innings with Paddock providing able
support. When Paddock was dismissed for 18 Golder was joined by Harris who
showed increased maturity as he left well to frustrate the slightly one
dimensional Romsley seam attack.
Golder eventually fell for a well crafted 41 leaving the Green with just
over 100 runs to win with plenty of overs to spare. Harris upped his game a
notch at this stage on the way to just his 2nd fifty in Saturday
1st XI cricket. Supported by veteran Jez Clarke who continued his
rich vein of form Harris finished proceedings with a glorius driven boundary
to end on 68 not out and wrap up a massive 20 points for the home side who
remain second in the league.
Highlights: BGCC
- Tim Williams 17-3-48-6, Kevin Golder 41, Philip Harris 68no R&HCC - Paul
Pickering 88
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