IN their final game of the Vintage Cricket Festival, Worcestershire Over 60s were invited to bat by New Zealand veterans Fingletoads Merlots.

Despite the early loss of John Shepherd, Worcestershire were given a good start by Keith Middleton and Brian Scott (15).

Scott and Dick Brown fell in successive overs before Derek Ebbage and Middleton restored the English side’s ascendancy on a difficult, rain-affected wicket.

Middleton and Ebbage both reached 30 and had to retire under the rules of the festival.

Useful contributions from John Swift (16), Chris Taylor (16) and Martin Woodward (10) enabled Worcestershire to reach a total of 147-8 with Middleton returning to add a single to his score from the final ball.

Tight bowling by Cliff Rawlings and Woodward made scoring tough for the Kiwis.

Rex Hooton and Ian Thomas brought the Merlots back into the game until Shepherd bowled the former for 23.

Pete Tudge and Shepherd continued to apply the brakes to the visitors’ innings and, with Thomas retiring having reached 30, no other batsman could take control.

Shepherd (3-36) took two more wickets and Graham Thorne bowled John Steer with an unexpected low-bouncing delivery as the score slumped to 88-6.

Wickets for Woodward and man-of-the-match Middleton prevented the Fingletoads getting close to the Worcestershire veterans’ total despite 13 from Paul Burgess and Thomas returning to the crease to increase his score to 34 not out.

The Kiwis finished on 123-8, giving Worcestershire a 24-run victory.

Many thanks were due to the groundsmen and members of Moreton-in-Marsh Cricket Club for enabling the game to take place after another week of poor weather.

The Worcestershire Over 60s team began the Vintage Cricket Festival with a match against the Hollywood Golden Oldies — a touring American veterans team from California and Florida.

The UK-based team batted first and six of the first seven batsmen reached 30 before retiring.

Middleton, Ebbage, Scott, Roger Price, Woodward and Bob Rogers were the successful half-dozen, while Shepherd contributed a valuable 24.

Thorne and Tudge also made useful unbeaten scores as the total reached 244-2 off the allotted 40 overs.

Hollywood’s reply was strangled by accurate bowling by Tudge and Martin Mudway, with Tudge claiming the wicket of Nick Phillips in an impressive spell.

Both Mike Baish and Iswar Naisai reached 30, but Gerald Wadley then claimed three wickets as the overall total struggled to 96-4 off 28 overs between the rain breaks.

Further rain brought an early finish with Worcestershire victorious on a substantially higher run-rate.