THE Green won the toss for this scheduled 40-over match played on a damp, overcast Sunday afternoon at North End Lane, with heavy banks of grey clouds looming ominously over the hills.

BARNARDS GREEN II v RUSHWICK II

The Green's skipper, Dave Bayliss, opted to bat on a dampish wicket. Light rainfall commenced almost as soon as the game got underway, not heavy enough to interrupt play but sufficient to make the ball greasy and difficult to grip by the Rushwick bowlers.

Opener Mark Jones (3) was bowled early in the Green's innings by a lively legcutter from Colly when the ball was still relatively dry.

The arrival of Ratcliffe (24) put the Green's innings on to a firmer footing, while at the other end Yorke (49) was in fine form, despatching anything loose to the boundary.

The eventual removal of Ratcliffe to a sharp edge off the left arm spin of Colman brought Price (45no) to the crease.

A sharp lifter from Colly at the beginning of Price's innings brought out his counter-attacking instincts, and heralded the start of an onslaught on the Rushwick attack.

The ball was by now becoming very slippery in the persistent rain, and a series of full tosses and half volleys were hammered to all corners of the ground by the Green's third wicket partnership.

Yorke narrowly missed out on a justly deserved half century, when dismissed by Colman shortly before play was interrupted in the 19th over.

An early tea was taken but only a further five overs were possible before another heavy downpour finally brought an end to the soggy proceedings, leaving the Green marooned on a 146 for 3 after 24 overs.