BARNARDS Green seconds, in much need of a lift following the one-run defeat to Brock-hampton, travelled to Pershore for a WCL division one clash.

PERSHORE II v BARNARDS GREEN II

With a number of players missing, stand-in skipper Liam Paddock lost the toss and was asked to bat on a track that looked good for runs.

With Goodman and Wheeler out and only 13 runs on the board, this looked a wrong assumption. However, Paddock and Clack, opening the innings for the first time, batted with maturity and control above their years to take the score beyond 100 and then past the 150 mark. Clack brought up his maiden adult 50 with a huge six over long-on. It was a disappointment to all when he fell for an excellent 88 from 126 balls.

Paddock, looked to score runs and also hold the innings together, but fell in the 44th over for a well constructed 77. There were other contributions from James Scullion (20) and Dave Price (10no), taking the Green to 233-8 off their 50 overs. Pick of the bowlers was Holly Penwarden, county womens' captain, who finished with figures of 6-68 off 16 overs.

Barnards Green took to the field knowing that 233 was a good total, but with a short boundary, the bowlers had to bowl tight lines and lengths.

With the score 52-1 off 10 overs, James Scullion and Lewis Hooper were introduced to the attack to stem the flow of runs and well supported by D Price, the scoring rate slowed and Pershore required 110 runs off the last 14 overs.

Pershore upped the rate and required 15 runs from the last three overs with seven wickets in hand.

Up stepped Hooper and Simon Ball and the two only conceded seven runs and took two wickets (including dangerman White for 86) in the last three overs. Leaving the Green with a winning draw, a good result when Pershore looked on top for much of the innings.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the Green seconds are at home to Chaddesley.