A MAN-OF-THE-MATCH innings of 101 by Paul Yorke saw Barnards Green retain the Worcestershire County League second team knockout cup at Ombersley on Monday.

BARNARDS GREEN II v COOMBS WOOD II

On a blazing hot evening, The Green lost the toss and were asked to field first, the game consisting of 15 eight-ball overs per side.

Sam Spencer bowled Baker for a duck in the first over to get The Green off to a good start. Lewis Hooper shook off the effects of heat stroke to bowl his four-over spell for 32 runs.

Sam Spencer finished with 1-34 and it was left to the senior bowlers of Ian Scullion and Phil Spencer to bowl the closing overs of the Coombs Woods innings.

Spencer took four wickets as the batsmen attempted to post a competitive score. Scullion bowled accurately tying down the batsmen to only concede 28 runs in his spell.

Coombs Wood finished on 153-5 with top scorer Maurice White on 56 and Butterworth 46.

The Green bowled and fielded well to restrict Coombs Wood to a target well within their reach.

In reply, The Green lost the prolific Doughty for 10 in the second over. This brought 16-year-old Liam Paddock to the wicket to join Paul Yorke.

Yorke was in fine form flaying the bowling to all parts whilst Paddock played the sensible role running well between the wickets to ensure that Yorke faced most of the bowling.

By the start of the 11th over the Green needed two runs to win and Yorke needed three for his 100. He smashed the second ball for four to bring up his century and the win for Barnards Green.

Yorke's innings contained 14 4s and three 6s. Paddock was unbeaten on 35 and the pair had put on 139 in nine overs.

Barnards Green retained the cup with a great team effort capped off by a man-of-the-match innings of 101 by Paul Yorke.

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