West Bromwich Dartmouth 202-7 Barnt Green 181-8

Barnt Green get a losing draw

CAPTAIN Richard Illingworth hit a half-century to make sure his side avoided outright defeat at the hands of the Birmingham and District League Premier Division's leaders on Saturday.BOWLED OVER: Gareth Williams goes in search of wickets against West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday.

Illingworth hit 67 runs to ensure his side escaped from a one-sided match with a share of the spoils.

Barnt Green had allowed their opponents to make 202, despite at one point having them reduced them to 112-6.

Green then seemed to be staring defeat in the face as the top order collapsed to 51-5.

Illingworth though dug his side out of a hole with a mature display to help his side bat out their 55 overs.

However, the losing draw means their hopes of winning the league are beginning to fade away.

The Cherry Hill Road side has slipped to fourth and is 26 points behind West Brom.

Green's bowling attack did push West Brom's batsmen all the way under a searing sun on Saturday.

Gareth Williams and Roger Sillence had kept openers Chris Abbey and Moen Ali at bay.

Gloucestershire all rounder Sillence drew first blood when he dismissed Abbey in the ninth over to leave West Brom on 21-1.

Ali, joined at the crease by big-hitting Navdeep Poonia, started to find his rhythm.

He was lucky to hit a four off Williams in the 12th over, when his low shot just evaded the diving David Wigley.

Ali was beginning to look dangerous, smashing Williams twice more in the over.

Steve Williams had the last laugh in the 17th over, catching Ali off Sillence's delivery to leave West Brom on 39-2.

Huw Jones came in, but Green's bowlers went for the throat, with Wigley dismissing Poonia lbw and Aleudin Khan caught by the captain to reduce their opponents to 74-4 at the halfway stage.

Vijay Patel and Jones tried to form a partnership, but Illingworth dismissed him as West Brom crumbled to 106-5.

An over later Sajjad was dismissed by Howes as Barnt Green took control of the game.

But Jonanthan Herdman (47 not out) and Jones (67) got their side back on track with a powerful 53 partnership.

It was Gareth Williams who made the breakthrough, removing Jones' wickets after he missed-time a drive in the 49th over to leave West Brom on 182-7, but Rob Fenton and Herdman guided their side past the 200 run mark and set Green 203 for victory.

Green though suffered the worst possible start in the fifth over when opener Matt Dallaway was dismissed by Sajjad to leave Green on 5-1.

Richard Hall survived a scare in the sixth over, but the umpire ignored West Brom's big call.

The home side's batsmen though were struggling to get the runs as West Brom applied the pressure.

Things went from bad to worse when Hall was bowled by Fenton. Sillence came in and tried to take the game to the opposition with some aggressive shots, as he and Steve Williams reached 27-2.

However, Sajjad cheaply dismissed Williams, before Illingworth came to in stiffen his side's brittle batting order.

When Sillence was bowled out in the 16th over by Fenton, Green were left reeling on 51-4.

Kieran Rees also did not last long, but Simon Froggatt (22) came in at 51-5 and formed a formidable 60 run partnership with the captain to get their side out of trouble.

Illingworth enjoyed a slice of luck in the 19th over, when Herdman dropped an easy catch.

Froggatt was caught out by Ali's spin in the 36th over, leaving his side on 111-6.

But the captain remained steadfast at the crease and forged partnerships with Wigley (23) and Adam Smith (4 not out) to ensure that Green got at least seven points by steering their side past the 160 run mark.

Green will be aiming for an instant response on Saturday when they take on Himley away from home (1pm start).

Peter McKinney