Barnards Green cricket Club Match Reports.
 
 

 

 


7th  August 2004

 

Gree

Kidderminster Victoria vs Barnards Green 3rd XI

 

Barnards green Singles vs Cutnal Green

 

On saturday Barnards Green 3rds played Kidderminster Victoria on a bare Chaddesley Corbett wicket.  With twenty five players out due to wedding committments, holidays and injuries, the third eleven were always likely to struggle despite being well placed to take the league title.  Three last minute drop-outs didn't help matters, but with the sun sunshing brightly, it was a good day for topping up the tan.  On a wicket that was always going to deteriorate badly, it was no surprise when the home side won the toss and elected to bat.  Kidderminster made a steady start against some tidy bowling in particular from young Adam Price.  Julian Hall, helping out at short notice soon realised that it was too hot to be bowling quickly and once he had found his line, bolwed well.  The first wicket to fall was impressive opener Portsmouth who was called through by his batting partner Fern Bagley for a quick single, but picked the wrong fielder in Robin Longmore and was run out by yards for 30.  Hall then picked up two quick wickets including an excellent catch by 13 year old Callum White.  Dave Price and Jamie Longmore were then called into the attack and both bowled well with Price unlucky not to get the benefit of several decisions which has been a characteristic of this season.  He did however bowl Webb with a yorker and Jamie started to generate some pace to consistently beat the bat, but edges were in short supply.  He did however find a peach to remove opener Bagley for 30.  Rine plundered 53 and Norman Lamb 27 to take Kidderminster to 190 but not before young Callum White had picked up two wickets including that of Rine. Debutant Russell Price also picked up two wickets at the death.

The Green’s batting left much to be forgotten, although in fairness the wicket had deteriorated badly and became very unpredictable and with D Webb’s full tosses and beamers it was never going to be easy.  R Webb found a good line and picked up 5 wickets and every ball hit in the air seemed to find a fielder.  The Green were soon dismissed for just 50 and will have to hope that more players are available next week if they are to maintain their title challenge. Special mention to Adam Price, Harry Pleass and Callum White who fielded superbly throughout.

 

Barnards green 1st XI vs Martley

Barnards Green Saturday 1st XI entertained Martley at North End Lane in this Worcestershire League Division 3 clash.  On a sweltering day Chris Smedley won the toss and asked Martley to bat first.  Following torrential midweek rain the track was slightly green with some moisture, but was a credit to grounds man Roy Mayo.  Martley started very cautiously, unable to get reliable opening partners Chris Harrison and Tim Williams away.  In the ninth over Harrison hit Ganderton on the pad on the full and was rewarded with the first wicket.  The second wicket followed 2 overs later when Harrison had Poole caught behind by Judd Doughty.  Woodhouse, surviving 2 close leg before shouts and the reliable Basford put together a partnership which saw Williams out of the attack, but Harrison had one last effort in him, having Basford caught behind with a perfect away swinger.  This left Martley 52 for 3.  Woodhouse then pushed new bowler Matt Brookes, making an impressive first appearance of the season to debutant Simon Clarke at mid on and called Bibby through for a suicidal single.  Clarke swooped and threw accurately to the far end to leave Bibby stranded and Martley in deeper trouble.  Patrick was then well caught by Smedley off Churchill at second slip and Woodhouse soon followed, bowled by Churchill.  Brookes was rewarded for an excellent spell with his first wicket, caught, again by Smedley at mid wicket this time.  Repton and Sweet soon followed to Churchill, the former giving Doughty a third catch and the later clean bowled, giving Churchill impressive figures of 4 for 13 off 8 eight overs.  Roger Harrison then returned to finish the innings, clean bowling Hine to end his stubborn resistance and finish with figures of 4 for 27.  Martley closed on 90 all out.

With still 45 minutes before tea the Greens openers went straight out and spent little time getting their eyes in.  Kev Golder in typically aggressive mood got to 19 quickly before being caught going over the top.  Rich Williams, on his return to the first team after a year in New Zealand looked in fluent form, hitting 7 fours on his way to 32 not out and Chris Smedley clocked up another 6 in yet another undefeated innings of 22.  The Greens comfortable 9 wicket victory was completed after just 15 overs and at only 5:30pm there was no doubt the majority of the players would make it to fellow team mate Paul Drinkwater’s wedding party on time!!  20 points were gained and with 3 games left and 49 points clear of second placed Harborne, one more win should ensure the title comes to North End Lane.  Next week the Green travel to Lye in search of the necessary points.     

Thanks to Match sponsors Alfrick Stores.

 

Four wickets in eight balls cost the ‘singles’ any chance of making this a competitive match against Cutnal Green.

Cutnal asked the singles to bat first and Barry Tuck along with Richard Leech moved serenely onto fifty until Tuck edged for 17. Next over Leech got over excited by a long hop and slapped to cover for 33, Spencer just reached a wide one and spooned the ball to mid off, next over Freeman’s mistimed drive presented the easiest of caught and bowled leaving the ‘Singles’ reeling at 55 for 4 . White and Spencer attempted to steady the ship but both perished attempting to up the rate. At 70 for 6 youngster Richard Tuck strode to the crease and showed great application and technique to defy the Cutnall attack whilst Steve Beavan started to cream the bowling to all parts. The pair added a priceless 44 runs until Asif ended Tuck’s vigil for 4. Beavan went next over to M Evans for an excellent 48. With plenty of overs the ‘singles’ other fourteen year old debutante Tom Clack opted for the aggressive approach and promptly smacked the ball back over the bowlers head followed by a neat shot off the hips. The pace of M Evans was too much and young Clack was gone for 5. An excellent last wicket partnership of 60 aided by some very ragged Cutnal outfielding  saw Rob Tyler 21 and Duncan Bell 6 not out take every run available to leave Barnards Green on 181, one hundred runs short of decent total and one hundred more than they looked like getting.

Any hope the ‘Singles’ had rested with the removal Neil Fletcher, an excellent LBW shout was turned down before Fletcher unleashed a barrage of shots. Rob Tyler extracted revenge by inducing an edge and fortunately for the ‘Singles’ Fletcher (25) walked as the umpire shook his head. Bell continued his fine opening burst having Morgan in all sorts of trouble but when he was rested Cutnal picked up the run rate. Barry Tuck bowled a tight line and reacted superbly to run out Shuck. D’Auncey then called Morgan for a suicidal second run again Tuck took aim and ran him out for 29. Spencer then bowled D’Auncey for 15 and Cutnall were rocking at 80 for 4. With very limited bowling resources Freeman tried everything to remove the Evans brothers to no avail. A dropped catch gave M Evans a reprieve quickly followed by a great shout for LBW declined by the umpire, on the grounds that this wasn’t a Test Match. N Evans then opened his shoulders to blast Cutnall to victory with 64 not out M Evans 27 not out condemned Barnards Green to a six wicket defeat.