BARNARDS Green welcomed Alveley to North End Lane for this Crusader Worcestershire League Division Three encounter.

BARNARDS GREEN v ALVELEY

Rich Williams won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. With conditions perfect for swing and seam bowling the Green bowlers immediately looked like making a break through.

Despite three dropped catches in the first 13 balls, including the dangerous Rodenhurst, twice, the Green did make early inroads into the Alveley batting.

T Williams had Rodenhurst caught by a juggling Churchill at mid off and then added the key wicket of Hughes just two balls later, clean bowled.

Ian Scullion continued his good form by adding two wickets, both clean bowled, and Williams bowled Twigg to leave Alveley in a critical position of 16-5.

The introduction of Clive Churchill saw three further wickets tumble in quick succession with some excellent fast bowling, including a superb leg side stumping by Glendinning.

Tim Williams returned to the attack to finish the innings with two wickets in an over to end with 5-14, with Scullion (2-10) and Churchill (3-11) also returning excellent figures. Alveley's innings closed on 37 all out.

Despite some early lapses this was an excellent performance from the Green with some accurate and penetrative bowling blowing away the Alveley line up. Faced with a less than challenging target, Green openers Rich Williams and Dan Flynn wasted no time in completing a 10 wicket victory.

Rich Williams finished the game in a flourish with four successive fours. The game was completed by 10 minutes to four, and the Green players were faced with an unusual afternoon, with no cricket.

The Green secured 20 points from the game but still managed to drop one place in the table.

They will be looking to continue their good form tomorrow (Saturday) when they travel to Martley.