BARNARDS Green welcomed new opponents Himley of the Birmingham League Second Division to North End Lane on Sunday and were rewarded with an excellent close fought game.

BARNARDS GREEN 1ST XI v HIMLEY 1ST XI

The visitors wont he toss and elected to bat but lost an early wicket as Dick Brown recalled to the first team to fill a gap following a late withdrawal belied his years with an incisive throw to run out Day. Lanchbury soon followed nicking Rich Brown to slip to leave Himley on 16 for 2 and with James Watson bowling an intelligently hostile spell, visiting skipper Shorter and Tomkins dug in. Tomkins survived a couple of sharp chances off the excellent Watson, but Shorter looked increasingly comfortable. These two took the score to 120 before Dick Brown drilled one through Tomkins defences, used some wisdom to temp Parkes, Chivers and Khan. Skipper Andy Lamb removed his opposite number five short of what would have been an excellent hundred and the visitors closed on 185 for 7 off their 40 overs.

The Green needed someone to play an innings but following the early loss of Golder and both Rich Williams and Jez Clarke batted with circumspection but both fell trying to up the pace. Jason Young threatened briefly, but his excellent recent Sunday form came to an end from a mistimed pull. Tim Clarke and James Watson batted decisively to get the Green back into the game but both fell on 142 leaving the Green with a stiff target of 44 off the last five overs. Dick Brown injected some bite with a four before holing out to a pull, Rich Brown perished in pursuit and this left 18 needed off the last over. Enter Richard Birch who hit Chivers for a six and a four before being caught.

Chris Hill took a single to leave Andy Lamb with the task of scoring seven of the last two balls but he was bowled by Chivers trying to get a boundary and the Green were defeated by six runs in an excellent game played in great spirit.

Our thanks to match sponsors MSM/DRH Forklift Services.