BARNARDS Green 1st team started a busy weekend of cricket with a visit to Pedmore in the Worcestershire Cricket League division two on Saturday.

PEDMORE v BARNARDS GREEN

On a blustery, windswept day Pedmore skipper Cooke had no hesitation asking the Green to bat on what looked a reasonable wicket after winning the toss.

The Green made a steady start until Lewis (17) was adjudged to have been caught behind. The reliable Rich Williams (34) was joined in a stand of 66 with Flynn (55) progression of the innings was hampered by the slowness of the track with only Drinkwater (33) impressing. Wickets were lost at important times as the Green tried to push towards a big score.

At 195-7 the innings was in danger of subsiding all together as Denton (3-56) and Cooke (2-70) tried to strangle the innings but 45 runs were added in the last five overs by wicketkeeper Binks (25) and Tim Williams (21) to take the Green to a respectable total of 240.

In reply, Pedmore got off to a flyer reaching 80 off 20 overs without losing a wicket. The introduction of Flynn (17-4-63-1) and Drinkwater (4-58) slowed the run-rate so much that at 39 overs Pedmore had reached 123-5 nearly needing to double their score in the last 11 overs to win the game. They nearly did this as Hipkiss went beserk, hitting 6 sixes in an innings of 69 off only 31 balls. With 15 needed off the last over, nerves were further frayed as the first ball disappeared over long off for another six.

With Pedmore now favourites, Tim Williams held his nerve allowing only another four runs to be taken off his last five balls.

In what was a truly great game of cricket, in which both sides held the upper hand at various times in the game, Barnards Green were more than happy to come away with a winning draw.

BARNARDS GREEN v WORCESTER NOMADS

BARNARDS Green entertained local rivals Worcester Nomads in the WCL division two on Bank Holiday Monday at North End Lane.

Green skipper Chris Smedley won the toss and asked the Nomads to bat first on a good cricket wicket.

The Green started well with Harold Harrison and Tim Williams (4-74) bowling tidily and after 32 overs the Nomads were struggling at 118-6. The Green again failed to capitalize as Bowman smashed a fine 82 and the unconventional Dixon (50) added 113 in 10 overs. With the Green now looking at chasing a total of nearly 300, Tim Clarke (3-26) brought some normality back to the game with the Nomads finally all out in the last over finishing on 259.

The Green would have to bat well if they had any chance of reaching their target but with some erratic bowling from Nomads captain Lakin, the Green were on their way.

With the score on 30 the Green lost Lewis (11), at 92, Flynn (33) and at 152, Smedley (32). Through it all Rich Williams stood firm holding the innings together with a fine knock of 52, finally out in the 39th over with the score at 182-4.

With the game still anyones, Kev Golder played a bruising innings finishing on 79no, brilliantly supported by the lower order as the game was won with eight balls to spare with the Green's supporters treated to another tense game in which all the Green's batsmen held their nerve.

The Green travel to fellow newly-promoted club Coombs Wood tomorrow (Saturday) looking to continue their good run.