By Peter McKinney

BARNT Green CC captain Richard Illingworth has called on the team to stop relying on batsmen Richard Hall and Roger Sillence and score more runs to boost their title and cup chase.

Gloucestershire all rounder Sillence and Hall been in excellent form for the Cherry Hill Road side.

On Saturday, both men nearly reached centuries as Green drew with Wellington.

Sillence has been in particularly consistent form, hitting 274 runs at an average of 54.60 a match.

However, the captain wants the runs to be more evenly spread around his side.

He said: "Richard and Roger are the ones getting the runs for us.

"But we can't rely on them for the rest of the season.

"Even the best players hit bad patches and if they lose form we could be in trouble."

That means the likes of Matt Dallaway, Kieran Rees, Steve Williams and Simon Froggatt have to find some form.

The quartet has yet to make an impact this season in the Birmingham and District League Premier Division.

The normally reliable Dallaway's poor form has been the most noticeable.

The opening batsman has yet to make a real impact after missing the start of the season through injury.

In contrast he averaged nearly 30 runs a match in 2004, as Green sealed second place.

Illingworth has yet to recapture last summer's form with the willow, after topping Barnt Green's league batting averages with 38.33 runs a match.

Despite the fact that Barnt Green have yet to hit their best form, the side are well placed after Saturday's draw with Wellington.

Green lie second in the table, just 20 points behind leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth.

Illingworth though has been quietly confident all season that his side will overtake the Black Country pacesetters.

He was delighted that West Brom suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Leamington Spa on Saturday.

Illingworth said: "No team in this division is unbeatable, even West Bromwich.

"They are an excellent side playing well, but I had a feeling they could slip-up.

"But the pressure is on us to make sure we don't make any more mistakes."

Green are set to keep the same team which got the better of Wellington for Saturday's game at home to bottom side Halesowen (1pm start).

Worcestershire all rounder David Wigley may miss the game if the county side calls him up.

Batsman Paul Bedford misses the fourth match in a row because of work commitments.

A rib injury also prevents Sillence, who tops the league's bowling averages, from using the ball.

l Green then take on Bowdon in Cheshire in the last 16 of the Cockspur National Knockout Cup on Sunday (1pm start).

Wigley and Sillence are both set to miss the match because county players are not eligible in the cup.

If Green can get past 2004's Murray Smith Cheshire County Cricket League champions then they will have a home fixture in the quarterfinals.

So far Barnt Green has played all six rounds of the cup away from home.

Illingworth said: "We face a tough test, we have a big carrot dangling in front of us."

Green would face the winners of Widness and Knowle in the next round.