BARNARDS Green Singles were treated in ruthless style by WCL Division Five champions elect Stourbridge who comfortably won by 147 runs, but it could have been so STOURBRIDGE v BARNARDS GREEN SINGLES

Stourbridge won the toss and elected to bat and for the next 40 overs it was a shot a ball as Stourbridge went for big boundaries. The Green can only blame themselves as both openers gave chances that could not be taken and it 103 runs before the Green made the breakthrough.

Taswir became one of two quick victims for Tolley, it should have been three but the Green failed to cling onto yet more chances put their way. Malik now slowed to crawl as the field was deep set and the returning Leech (2 -53) put him out of his misery for a fortuitous 64.

Meanwhile Tanwir, already into his third innings, and Ali proceeded to smash the ball to all parts as the Green wilted under the onslaught, 120 runs in ten overs allowed Stourbridge to declare at 267-5 giving themselves 50 overs at the Green.

The Green reply was disrupted when the only runs Freeman had meant he spent more time in the toilet than padded up.

Genever and Brookes serenely posted 31 comfortable runs until the aggressive Genever fell for 13. Wheeler came and went but Beavan looked at ease playing his shots and at 87-3 the Green looked to launch their attempt on the Stourbridge score.

Stourbridge now played their trump card as Naveed destroyed the Green with a devastating spell of swing bowling. He removed Tolley for 11 but his next over saw three Green batsmen back in the pavilion, all LBW and the Green were 93-7.

Freeman and Beavan easily saw out ball after ball until Tanwir finally broke Freeman's resistance.

A late effort by Beavan (25) Rob Lewis (8no) and a belligerent five from Spiers was never going to save the Green. Naveed's 6-13 was just too much.