BARNARDS Green travelled to fellow newly-promoted Coombs Wood in the Worcestershire County League division two for what was expected to be a close and hard-fought game on Saturday.

COOMBS WOOD v BARNARDS GREEN

Again Green skipper Chris Smedley lost the toss and, as expected, was asked to bat first.

After the early loss of Rich Williams, due to a mix-up and the consequential run out, Dan Flynn (80) and Gary Lewis (63) set about the home side's bowling to such an extent that after 11 overs four bowlers had already been used and seven men were fielding on the boundary.

The partnership was finally broken in the 27th over with the total at 144. There then followed small partnerships in the middle order that failed to capitalise on their promising starts and again at 226-6 in the 44th over, all the early work might have been wasted.

Tim Clarke (48) was then joined by Gilly Binks (36no) in a partnership of 67 that destroyed the bowling and flagging spirits with an array of shots of sublime quality.

Throughout Smith bowled well, if a little negatively, for the home side with 4-106 off 20 overs of off-spin bowled from around the wicket.

Coombs Wood's reply got off to a bad start with Harold Harrison (9-3-10-2) finding some form and swing and, aided by a run out, the home side were reduced to 39-3.

The dour Saundry (49 off 49 overs) was then joined by the spirited Griffiths (64), who took the score to 125-3 after 25 overs, exactly the same total as Barnards Green at the same stage, but having lost two more wickets.

Coombs Woods' thought process and game plan then became very confusing as they never attempted to go for the 75 per cent of the Green's total to get the losing draw points or even six runs off the last over to get their final batting point.

The Green did not help themselves by dropping four catches of varying degrees of difficulty and failing to capitalise on opportunities created by the bowlers. In the end neither team could be happy with the outcome of this game except Saundry, who fell one run short of dogged half-century.

Things should be a lot livelier tomorrow (Saturday) as the Green take on local rivals the Malvern at North End Lane.