BARNARDS Green first XI travelled to the picturesque setting of Winterfold School to play Kidderminster Victoria in division two of the Worcestershire Cricket League.

KIDDERMINSTER VICTORIA v BARNARDS GREEN

Skipper Chris Smedley again won the toss for the Green and elected to bowl first on an ominously flat-looking track with small boundries.

Barnards Green needed a much improved bowling display from the previous weekend if they had intentions of chasing a manageable total.

This they got with all the bowlers bowling in good areas. Tim Williams (2-43) and Harold Harrison kept things tight with the new ball without much luck but it was the introduction of spin in the form of Dan Flynn (18-0-54-1), Paul Drinkwater (2-39) and the effervescent Jez Clarke who tied the Kidderminster batters down and effectively set the game up for the visitors, needing 201 to win.

In reply, the Green lost the out- of-form Lewis in the first over. This only compounded the home side's problems as Rich Williams (27) and Flynn (53) set about the bowling in a partnership of 90 in 14 overs.

With the Green seemingly comfortably set they lost three wickets for four runs and, at 94-4, the game was in the balance again.

The classy Paul Drinkwater (32) then joined Smedley (55no) to take the Green to the brink of victory with Adam Binks (10no) hitting the winning runs after the loss of a further two wickets.

Tomorrow (Saturday), Barnards Green entertain Hagley at North End Lane knowing that there's plenty of room for improvement in what been a promising start in division two.