BARNT Green CC First XI had their supporters to thank for helping them defy the weather and hold on for a seven-wicket victory and a place in the last 16 of the National Club Championship last Sunday.

Green won their Midlands group one regional final at Cherry Hill Road last Sunday and can now look forward to a home tie on Sunday, July 14 with either Leyland from Lancashire or Bowden from Cheshire.

Captain Lyndon Jones said: "The whole club is ecstatic at the moment after beating Walsall in the knockout.

"We had a bit of luck with a shorter chase but I was confident we would get 212 anyway."

But things did not go to plan from the start as Walsall, batting first, got off to a flier against some wayward bowling.

Home captain Jones (2-21) bravely put himself on early and, together with Moncrieffe (1-34), Illingworth (1-26) and Chris Bagley (2-37), clawed Green back into the game.

L Everitt top scored for Walsall with 50 as the visitors posted 212-9 from 45 overs.

But during the tea break the heavens opened, plunging the game's completion into serious doubt.

To allow a minimum of 20 overs to be bowled, a group of home supporters helped clear the ground of water and made it playable.

Requiring a revised target of 94 from 20 overs, Barnt Green had a race against the clock to reach their target before the rain came again.

Try as Walsall did to contain their hosts, they could do little to deny Gavin Haynes who butchered 53 not out as Green reached their target 12 overs after the re-start.

Jones was quick to praise the efforts of Green's loyal support.

He said: "It was nice to do it and was deserved for the efforts made by club members and supporters who helped get the game restarted."