Barnards Green cricket Club Match Reports.

^17thJuly 2004 Gree

Belbroughton vs Barnards Green Singles Some games you win some you lose but to morally win leaves a sour taste and this is what the ‘singles’ had to endure on Saturday. Freeman called wrongly and his side had to make first use of damp wicket. Not only was the wicket slow it had uneven bounce and all batsmen found shot making and run scoring difficult. Leech blazed away in typical fashion but was undone by a shooter for 18. Curtis was watchful but his first attacking shot saw him go for ten as Taylor made the early breakthrough. Freeman and White squeezed out singles and had steadied the ship somewhat until Taylor produced a moment of brilliance to take a stunning one handed diving catch to dismiss Freeman as youngster Higgins embarked on a devastating spell of bowling. White (13) was Higgins’ next victim. Again consolidation was needed Lewis batting with maturity and a more restrained Hooper took the score to 100 until Hooper (11) had no chance in keeping out Higgins’ half track grubber. The innocuous slow spin of Poutney now accounted for the tail, taking an excellent caught and bowled to dismiss Lewis for 17 the rest of the Green batting subsided to 121 all out and with extras top scoring with 35 it was hard to judge whether the total was sufficient. The Green set about the task with relish and needing to take every chance that came their way they reduced Belbroughton to 30 for 3 aided by superb catches. Spiers replaced Hooper and turned the match the Green’s way. Again the catches were taken and along with Clarke (1 –32) the runs slowed to a trickle. Whittlestones (14) went for the aggressive route but was well taken by Tyler in the deep. Poutney (19) took sixteen off a Spiers over but was undone by a shooter and when skipper Boardman was out leg before Belbroughton were 80 for 8. Spiers spell of 12 overs and 4 for 30 had tipped the balance in favour of the Green. All of the Green’s hard work looked in vain as Ross and Pierson blasted away and this time the catches never stuck. Hooper returned to uproot Ross’s middle stump with Belbroughton requiring 20 runs for victory. Number 11 Taylor batting with a runner looked capable whilst Pierson rode his luck. Then the moment came that will stick in the throat for a very long time. Hooper found the edge of Pierson’s bat for White to take the catch sparking great scenes of jubilation from all of the Green fielders, the non striker walking back to the pavilion but Pierson stood his ground and the umpire failed to raise his finger. A deflated Green reset themselves for yet another effort but despite Pierson surviving a difficult caught and bowled chance the weary Green fielders could not prevent Taylor from hitting the winning runs. The Green left the field totally dejected and even the apologies from the Belbroughton players could not compensate for the defeat.

Barnards Green 2^nd XI vs Coombs Wood Coombs Wood, after winning a vital toss, had only to stay calm to beat a self-destructing Green lineup. The home skipper Dick Brown planned a loose, flexible batting order, but went too far and watched it wobble and collapse. Hancock began brightly with bold on-drives, but soon missed a full length from Skidmore, who then induced easy catches from Goodman and Hacking. Lewis (48) and Middleton (46) fought hard without dominating, but the key point was that Coombs Wood had useful bowling reserves. Turner and Conniffe each claimed two victims, and the Green struggled to 168 when their first and only goal should have been a score of 200. Even so, the usual double act of Fletcher and Hill posed some problems until the ball was old. Fletcher was more expensive (80 off 20 overs) but struck four times. Hill clamped the other end and waited for his luck to change (39 off 17.5 overs). Opener Bhandri made a skilled and patient 52, while Badger (40) took more risks and scored more quickly. Brown, with the score near 100 and his opening attack tired, saw few bowling options except his own slow spin. Lewis, also weary, tried a brief spell but could not repeat last week’s fine effort. Brown’s 4 overs cost 27 in exchange for Badger, who hit hard and sold his wicket willingly. Hill returned and, finding the outside edge into Glendinning’s gloves, removed Bhandri after their long, almost runless duel (141-6). Then, quickly, after one or two half-chances from Banks (30 n.o.) and Cannon (11 n.o.) slipped away, the game was up. Barnards Green 168-9 (45 overs; R Lewis 48, K Middleton 46; I Skidmore 4-45) Coombs Wood 169-6 (42.5 overs; R Bhandri 52, C Badger 40; S Fletcher 4-80) Coombs Wood won by 4 wickets - Match sponsored by Clarke Roxburgh Coombs Wood vs Barnards Green 1^st XI Barnards Green 1^st XI made their first journey to newly promoted Coombswood on Saturday and the pitch showed signs of a wet week north of the county. After the final preparations to the pitch were made the toss was lost for the first time this year a with no surprises were asked to bat. With Golder back in the side he and Jez Clarke took the challenge of seeing off the new ball on a wet soft wicket. With the coombswood bowlers bowling a good line and length with the odd short ball thrown in for good measure one of which pinning Clarke square in the grill the green made a cautious start. This week Golder was the first to take the attack to the opposition and started to let his arms flow freely dispatching the ball to the boundary whilst at the other end Clarke played the ball it’s merit but only managed to hit the fielders with the bad ball. Then the rain came and after a short stint in the pavilion the players resumed to continue in what was now a 48 over game. The pair then had to build again and readjust to different and more difficult conditions and With the score on 48 Golder was adjudged caught behind for a quality 34. Clarke then started to look more at ease and looked comfortable with the attack including Ex Worcestershire James Burgoyne (5-83) whilst at the other end the umpire sent youngster Liam Paddock packing first ball and soon after Burgoyne picked up his 3^rd victim as Tim Clarke nicked one to the keeper. Drinkwater joined Jez Clarke who then fell for a gritty 18 but the green were in deep trouble at 54 –4 of 18. Veteran Rob Richards joined Drinkwater and they steadied the ship and started to build a platform for the middle order to build on Richards then got trapped Lbw and the green again looked to re build this time with Tim Williams at the crease, Drinkwater took the superior role and started to hit the boundary timing the ball superbly but when he went for one big hit too many it really was time to test the strength and depth of the Green batting line up not required this season before this point. Judd Doughty strode to the middle and took the bit between the teeth starting cautiously with sense as there were many overs remaining he and Williams took the score over the 120 before Williams was dismissed, this brought in a Self demoted Chris Smedley who was still suffering from the previous weeks bowling stint, he kept Doughty composed and together they went about building a score the green bowlers were confident of defending, Doughty who has not had many chances to prove his worth with the bat this year made sure he would not let this one slip and started to take the coombswood bowling apart hitting numerous boundaries including 3 massive sixes In what was a superb 43 Smedley fell near the end which gave Churchill the chance to have a little knock but after their 48 overs Barnards Green Closed on 187 for 8. With Coombswood who are currently settled in third place in the table just one place off the promotion spot Barnards green were wary that the opposition would be looking for the 20 points to put pressure on the surrounding teams, this definitely looked the case when the Coombswood skipper came out and blazed the ball to all parts of the ground straight from the off, Opening bowler Harrison taking the main brunt of this whilst Tim Williams grafted away at the other end giving them nothing to score off, After 5 overs the green were unsettled as the attack was taken to them and then after one ambitious run to many and some excellent ground fielding by young Paddock the skipper was run out for a dangerous 30. With the middle order looking threatening and more than capable of scoring 150 from the remaining 40 overs this was the day when all Green fielders were going to have to do the basics throughout from ball one and skipper Smedley made this known in no uncertain terms, they did this to superb effect Tim Williams (4-28 off 18) picked up wickets throughout and bowled with the conditions to his liking, at times swinging the ball dangerously and nipping the ball off the seam unplayable effect Clive Churchill came on to replace Harrison and automatically took a wicket with help from a steep ling catch from Jez Clarke.As with previous weeks whilst Williams kept one end tied up Smedley rotated his bowlers at the other, Paddock Bowled with Maturity and was successful of his 5 overs by this time the four batsman had come and gone apart from the remaining opener but as he reached only ten runs by drinks it was clear of the coombswood game plan.Coombswood batted on and whilst shots were played at the one end of the wicket it was clear what was happening at the other Tim Clarke was brought in to the attack and struck with a long hop well caught again by Jez Clarke, Coombswood were then at 140 for 8 after 44 overs Smedley looked to Leg Spinner Clarke who didn’t quite manage to find the edge as the remaining overs passed without anymore wickets falling Coombswood crept up to 150 for 8 with the remaining opener carrying his bat for a methodical 32.Barnards Green Showed their strength and depth they have promised on a day where it counted and as a result opened the gap in the promotion race. Barnards green took 14 points from this battle whilst Coombswood took 9 it was a game played between two side with the same amount of fight and will to play the game at a competitive level, both sides could have easily ended up winners and although the green boys were looking towards their tenth successive win they travelled back to Malvern content with the Winning draw. This Sat BGCC Take on Enville at Home.