BARNARDS Green Second's entertained Barnt Green in the Sunday league.

BARNARDS GREEN II v BARNT GREEN II

After the previous day's heavy rain, stand in skipper Andy Lamb sensibly elected to bowl first on a drying wicket that was always likely to get easier to bat on although the opening bowlers found difficulty with the slippy foot holds.

Barnt Green got off to a rapid start, before Mat Brookes clean bowled Towner for 16 and then Jamie Longmore took a return catch to dismiss Edwards without scoring, Brookes picked up two further wickets in quick succession and Barnt Green, although scoring quickly, were in a bit of trouble.

The introduction of Emily Price brought immediate success when Guest hit her first ball straight to her brother Tim who snapped up the first of two catches and the two actually shook hands!

Debutant Andy Harrison then chipped in with the wicket of dogged opener Brownhill (38), but then Barnt Green made something of a recovery with just a little help from some strange decisions from the men in white. Andy Lamb and Marek Wajzer then picked up a wicket a piece and Barnt Green closed their innings on 174.

The Green's reply was cautious to start, but then Roy Mayo and Marc Jones found their form and started to punish anything short or overpitched.

Jones hit a huge six over long on and Mayo found his cutting power to regularly despatch the ball to the offside boundary.

At 105 without loss off 22 overs, the inevitable downpour arrived in this wonderful British summer and everyone departed to the pavilion for cover to leave Andy Wheeler battling to preserve the wicket for Monday's cup final.

Barnards Green won the game on a faster run rate and took six points.

Many thanks to match sponsor Just So.