STUART Phillips has won the Evening News/Duncan Fearnley Cricket Sales Ltd Cricketer of the week award by taking 7-26 for Old Elizabethans at Chaddesley Corbett.

The impressive tally ensured the home side were skittled out for a mere 86 in their Worcestershire County League Second XI Division One match.

The performance was made even more significant given that Old Elizabethans had only managed a total of 110 and needed some solid bowling to stand any chance.

"It was a good game," Stuart said. "But, because of their total, we didn't think we were going to win."

Stuart, aged 32, has been opening the bowling for OEs' seconds for about five games, having spent the first half of the season opening the bowling for the first team.

He is a medium quick bowler but says that 7-26 isn't a career best.

"Quite a few years ago I took nine in Hereford," he said. He was only 18 then, but 14 years on he is still bowling well.

Warndon-based Stuart didn't even expect the game to be on as the pitch was very wet.

"They had to re-mark the pitch," Stuart explains. The first team's home game had been cancelled so he was surprised the seconds game at Chaddesley was on.

"The groundsmen did a good job," he added.

Since the first team game had been cancelled the clubhouse was closed so the second team stayed at Chaddesley to have a few drinks to celebrate.

Stuart also played in the Worcester Royal Mail cricket team this week in their defeat at Swansea Post Office in a South West of England knockout competition. On Saturday he will turn out for OE seconds at home to Kington.

As cricketer of the week Stuart wins a £30 voucher for Duncan Fearnley Cricket Sales Ltd in Sherriff Street, Worcester.