MALVERN suffered a shock two-wicket WCL division two defeat at the hands of newly-promoted Coombs Wood.

COOMBS WOOD v MALVERN

This completed a miserable week for the club after they had been deducted 20 points following an administrative blunder.

Malvern made a solid start before Anthony Arnold was dismissed with 23 on the board. David Arnold looked in good form until he was out to a daisy-cutter for 21. David Cox then went on the attack and with Mark Baugh added 56 for the third wicket before he fell one short of a well deserved 50. Adam Dovey and Jeremy Lee then produced some scintillating batting at the end to take Malvern to 207-7.

Malvern quickly made inroads into the Coombs Wood reply, but some class hitting from Whitehouse and Moorcroft kept the home side up with rate. Another brief flurry of wickets put Malvern in charge. The introduction of Matt Hooley again proving a masterstroke by captain Arnold.

Hooley's untimely injury meant little rest for Malvern's strike bowlers and Coombs Wood began to get back into the game. Malvern's fielding was superb throughout with Rob Coughtree exceptional and Dave Arnold's wicket-keeping excellent but Denham continued impressively and lead the home side to victory with two balls to spare.

MALVERN II v COOMBS WOOD

MALVERN Seconds continued their excellent start to the season, making it three wins from three with a six-wicket victory over Coombs Wood.

Batting first, neither of the Coombs Wood opening pair could capitalise on a strong start with Lawson (8) falling to a superb spell from Ian Laws and Colwell (18) to typically aggressive bowling from Mark Mitchell.

Wickets fell regularly with no batsman able to get out of the 20s. A dangerous partnership had started to develop between Baker and Cannon (22) but the decision to introduce spinner Andy Croft proved a good one, tempting Baker into a big shot only to be caught in the outfield for 24.

Good fielding by Malvern, including an excellent run-out by Ian Walwyn and three catches by Tom Grove, left the visitors struggling. Grove then proceeded to wrap up the innings, taking the remaining three wickets for just seven runs, leaving Malvern a target of 164.

In reply, Malvern openers Walwyn and Grove set about the total in fine style. Walwyn finding form with a succession of drives and cuts. It took the introduction of Banks to get the visiting attack going, as he bowled Grove for 23 and then quickly dismissed Andy Cullen (4) who failed to continue last week's good form.

This brought Richard Cullen to the crease to join Walwyn and between them they pushed the score up to within reaching distance of the Coombs Wood total against some very tight bowling by Banks and Jones. Walwyn fell quickly after a drinks break and then Cullen, riding his luck at times, was bowled for a hard-fought 21.

Neil Thompson and Dan Besgrove both looked comfortable and reached the required total with a 60-run partnership.

Malvern go into tomorrow's (Saturday) game against Cookley ten points clear at the top of the second XI division two.