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A devastating eight over spell from
Malvern Rambler old boy Jon Dovey ripped the heart out of the Wednesbury
batting order and set up a fourth consecutive league victory for Barnards
Green.
Continuing his good form with the coin Tim Williams had no hesitation on
inserting the opposition with rain showers the forecast for the day.
Unfortunately his bowlers could not initially match this form as Jarvis (44)
and Owen (22) set up a useful opening partnership of fifty with McEwan in
particular having issues with his radar.
McEwan(2-53) eventually struck the first blow bowling Owen and then trapped
Baker LBW first ball, a close shout for LBW on his hat-trick ball was turned
down and the reprieved batsman Patel made great use of this early fillip
unleashing some booming drives down the ground. Smedley’s introduction
severely stunted the run rate as he bowled 4 consecutive maidens at Jarvis
who in an attempt to break the shackles was adjudged LBW sweeping, Hull who
had struggled to 4 from 32 balls with a solitary scoring stroke was another
Smedley (2-40) victim caught at the wicket by Binks.
At the other end Poole was removed from the attack and replaced by Jon Dovey
who got the major breakthrough of the innings as the impressive Patel picked
out cover fielder Harris to fall for a stylish 69. Dovey with his tail up
continued to make the ball talk and blitzed the Wednesbury lower order with
a highly impressive display of swing and seam bowling taking 5-20 from 8
overs with only Whistance(10) and Tonks(12) reaching double figures.
The visitors innings finishing on 201-9(55) and with a rain interruption of
nearly an hour leaving the Green just 44 overs to bat.
Golder and Adam Dovey opened up hoping to give another solid start to the
innings however Golder (11) and Dovey(5) joined Ford(1) back in the shed
before the score had reached 60. McEwan was the fourth wicket to fall to an
injudicious shot after striking a huge six the previous ball and it was left
to the talented Harris and veteran Smedley to rebuild the innings.
Smedley was the ideal foil to the sublime Harris as he rotated the strike
well in his 23 to allow Harris to turn on the style in an innings of 77
which was ended when he picked out the safe hands of Jarvis. Smedley who had
looked in little trouble unfortunately holed out to a well hit slog sweep
which fell into the lap of the deep fielder leaving the home side in a
precarious position still needing nearly 50 to win with the run rate
comfortable but by no means easy.
Enter evergreen Jazzy Clarke who with his usual swashbuckling style stroked
a cameo 24 not out from just 21 balls including three fours and a huge six
to guide the home side to victory with twelve balls to spare.
BGCC 4ths vs Avoncroft 2nds.
Barnards Green 4ths played hosts to Avoncroft on Saturday, but on a
cool blustery day they could not put in a match winning
performance. Invited to bat first, Avoncroft got off to a good
start against some lacklustre bowling that was too short and saw
regular boundaries posted. Skipper Steve Hunt introduced young
Georgia Hennessy who was the pick of the bowlers and soon had EVANS
caught by a diving Julian Hall in the covers for 20, she then
dismissed the other opener Taylor caught by keeper Mark Perkins for
23. She finished the match with an excelent five wicket haul but
got little support from her team mates both in the field and with
the ball and Avoncroft finished on 232 for 8.
Avoncrofts opening attack of Cound and Elliot then showed the Green
the areas that they should have bowled in and openers Chris Horne
and Robin Longmore found runs hard to come by. Horne played a
superb off drive for six but then holed out to mid off for 11 and
Longmore followed for 14 missing a straight one! Perkins, Dean hall
and Metcalf all fell for single figures, but a good partnership
between Robbie Tyler 55 and Zak Hunt 16 brought some respectability
to the score, but with the last wicket falling, the Green were well
short of their target and had paid the penalty for some poor bowling
and fielding. Next week sees another tough game against league
leaders Tenbury. Thanks go to match day sponsor Inline Engineering
Ltd
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The
restructuring of the league this season resulted in The Green travelling
to yet another ground last visited many years ago. The picturesque
Avoncroft ground was the venue for this division four encounter and
after an explanation of the rules regarding trees forming part of the
playing area Dick Brown again lost the toss.
Avoncroft
decided to bat first on a coarse surface which threatened to offer help
to seam bowlers but short straight boundaries and the odd loose ball
from Chris Hill and Brad Adams meant that openers Hare and Cox could get
off to a solid start, trundling along at around four runs per over
without too much difficulty. Hill, frugal as ever and the more costly
Adams were replaced by the father and son attack of Ryan and Ian
Scullion and in the 17th over Ryan picked up a much needed
wicket, bowling Cox for 20. Although the run rate was slow, Hare and
Duffill progressed steadily taking Avoncroft onto 85 for 1 as drinks
approached.
Skipper
Brown, decided to take the pace out of the attack and Dave Price picked
up the wicket of Duffill (10), with his second ball.and then accounted
for James and Apperley in his next two overs. With wickets in hand and
twenty overs left Avoncroft needed to bat sensibly but appeared more
intent on getting home to watch the football as a succession of batsmen
threw away their wickets going for big shots. Jack Cullity (7-0-3-30)
picked up the wickets of opener Hare (57), Whitehead (12) and Huxley (6)
all caught off reckless shots twice finding the safe hands of Ryan
Scullion and once those of Kev Ratcliffe whilst Carpenter for Avoncroft
contrived to run himself out needlessly as Graham Baddeley threw down
the stumps from mid on. Price (13-2-4-33) picked up his fourth wicket
bowling Pittam for a duck before being replaced by Adams for a second
spell. With the home side finally appreciating the need for a more
controlled batting style and Adams being reintroduced to the attack
Athey and Warren started to pick up boundaries and consolidate their
position. With The Green unable to pick up their last wicket Avoncroft’s
innings finished on 178 for 9 after the allotted 50 overs.
After a
fine tea Chris Hill and Graham Baddeley started the visitors’ reply.
From one end Athey bowled three successive maidens testing the defence
of Hill whilst Baddeley picked up a succession of boundaries from the
bowling of Apperley. With no singles forthcoming for either batsman it
would be the 9th over before they swapped ends to face
different bowlers but the result was the same. Both of the Green’s
players produced a series of glorious shots through the covers and
though Carpenter and James were introduced to the attack they were
unable to stem the flow of runs as the score progressed to 105 of 23
overs with the openers still in place. Baddeley (62) eventually fell to
Carpenter going for another mighty hit over the top of extra cover and
finding the safe hands of James. Kev Ratcliffe strode to the middle and
in Carpenter’s next over strode back to the pavilion without troubling
the scorers. Roger Thompson opened his account with a big six off the
bowling of James and was then caught off his next ball. Ryan Scullion
joined Hill at the crease and would show what a talented young
all-rounder he is as he demonstrated solid defence with an ability to
punish anything short or over-pitched. With stubborn support from his
partner Hill, Scullion carried the attack to Avoncroft and within the
next ten overs The Green passed the required target with Scullion
producing a huge six over long on. Hill finished on 66 not out and
Scullion on 35 not out.
This was a comfortable win in the end for Barnards Green thanks partly
to their own efforts and partly due to some careless batting by their
hosts. Both teams are to be congratulated on a game played in the right
spirit.
Evesham vs BGCC 2nds.
Having studied the recent form of our opponents for
Saturday’s game none of us could believe that they’d succumb to yet
another heavy defeat for the third week in succession. After been bowled
out for consecutive scores of 60 and 50 we were sure Evesham CC would
put in a decent performance against a fellow Worcestershire based club.
Unfortunately we were wrong.
Winning the toss under leaden skies Green skipper Judd Doughty chose to
bowl first having been informed by his opposite number Lewis that the
home side were ‘very weak’ and only had three adults in their side. Matt
Brookes bowled with great control and picked up 5 wickets whilst Tom
Clack found the going tough into the wind. James Scullion also struggled
with the wind but easily picked the remaining wickets to close the
innings for Evesham on 41 for 8 (all out).
With the tea not even at the ground Doughty (9*) and Andy Wheeler (31*)
knocked off the required runs with no trouble at all inside of 6 overs
to record a most comprehensive victory. Wheeler, in his customary style
belted the ball to all parts, especially straight, in a welcome return
to form.
Bank Holiday Monday sees the Green put out another very strong side as
we host a competitive Bromsgrove side. |
