MUCH-changed Barnards Green thirds extended their Worcestershire League Division Five unbeaten run to eight games with a one-wicket win at Stourbridge thirds.

Skipper Jez Clarke won the toss and decided to bowl first with Stewart Hepburn and Zach Marsh conceding just 25 runs off the first 10 overs.

Joey Endacott's introduction produced the breakthrough for the youthful second-placed side as he had David Colesby (11) well caught by Clarke at gully.

While Aussie Hepburn toiled, the slow, nagging line of Endacott (2-11) struck again in the following over as Clarke held on one-handed to dismiss Umar Khalid (0).

Spinners Jez Clarke and Tim Clarke entered the fray with Endacott claiming a diving catch to dismiss opener Heran Patel (11) off the latter.

Tim Clarke (3-58) forced an edge from Scott Ludlam (11) with Jez Clarke taking a one-handed catch at slip.

Spin stemmed the flow of runs and top-scorer Matt Norgrove (74) was eventually bowled by the returning Marsh (2-19).

Marsh finished off the tail for 175 in the 49th over with a middle-stump yorker that was too good for tail-ender Aqib Rehman.

Green openers Rob Tyler and Jez Clarke wasted no time and raced to the 50-run partnership before the former was given out lbw for 12.

James Curtis and Jez Clarke pushed singles and twos while punishing the bad ball and the team needed just 65 runs for victory after 19 overs.

But, after surviving a previous chance, Jez Clarke was well caught for a dominant 56 and Hepburn raced to 15 before falling to captain Colesby (4-20), closely followed by Curtis (21) to the same bowler.

Graham Baddeley (4) and Dan Metcalfe (2) were run-out cheaply before Lewis Platt was stumped off Shaheel Khawar for a golden duck.

Green were then on 132-8 with more than 25 overs left but 16-year-old wicketkeeper Jack Dickenson (18 not out) and Endacot stepped up to the plate.

Although Endacott was run-out for five after supporting for more than 10 overs, 15-year-old last-man Marsh was aided by Dickenson, who rotated the strike and stayed solid in defence.

Marsh (7no) smashed a full toss to the boundary to bag a well-deserved 20 points against second-from-bottom Stourbridge.