BARNARDS Green first XI played host to Wellington (Shropshire) in Birmingham and District Premier League Division One.

Captain George Rhodes won the toss and chose to bat; and took to the field with Andrew Curtis to open the batting.

The Green made a solid start against opening bowlers O’Connor and Garwe reaching 50 in the 13th over as Curtis hit a free hit for 6.

Wellington made a double change of bowling with Bartlett and Wagner taking over but the Green batsmen took this in their stride and gradually built up the run rate.

Spinners Byram and Miller joined the attack as Rhodes swept one for 4 to bring up the hundred in the 23rd over.

In the first over after drinks the partnership was finally broken with the score on 113 – Rhodes was trapped LBW by Byram for 46.

Alex Hepburn joined Curtis (51) and this partnership followed a similar pattern of gentle acceleration with the 150 coming up in the 34th over.

Wellington looked deflated and the Green took advantage. Curtis brought up his century and the 200 with an off-drive for four.

As the innings moved into the last 10 overs the Green were 216-1 and this seemed to signal a change in tactic in an attempt to push onto a big total.

Unfortunately this led to two wickets in two overs – first Bartlett clean bowled Hepburn for 41 off just 39 balls.

In the next over Curtis skied one from Wagner to be caught by De Weymam at mid-on. His fine innings of 119 included 13 fours and 4 sixes.

With two new batsmen, Phil Harris and Nathan Newport, at the crease the momentum was slightly lost and then a series of wickets fell as the innings stuttered.

Wagner grabbed two wickets in an over as first Phil Harris (2) was bowled then Jamie Tapper edged one to keeper Mackleworth without scoring.

Newport and Andy Ford took the score to 241 before Newport skied one to be caught and bowled for 10 by Garwe.

With few overs remaining the Green batsmen had little time to settle in.

Andy Ford took the score past 250 with a lofted drive for four.

Garwe also took two wickets in an over as first Josh Tongue (4) was caught by De Weymam at long on and then, in a repeat of Newport’s dismissal, Ford hit one high in the air to be caught by the diving bowler.

The Green were 254-8 going into the last over. Jon Dovey (2) was run out by a direct hit from Sam Lloyd.

Leaving Ash Brewer and Jack Mackintosh to finish the innings in style – first Brewer hit a huge six over mid-wicket and Mackintosh hit the final ball of the innings for 6 over fine third man. BGCC posted an impressive 269-9 off the full 50 overs.

Wellington took to the field knowing they had to score at nearly five and half an over.

Sam Lloyd and ex-professional Neil Edwards started steadily with 15 coming off the first 5 overs from Phil Harris and Josh Tongue.

It was the latter who made the first and most important breakthrough as Edwards skied one to be caught by Nathan Newport at point for just 9.

Lloyd was joined by Miller who struggled to 7 before being bowled by Phil Harris.

Bartlett came and went without scoring as Tongue trapped him LBW to leave Wellington floundering on 28-3.

In came Captain Wagner and for the first time the two batsmen started to build a partnership.

In a double change Jon Dovey and George Rhodes joined the attack and it was the former who took the key wicket of Wagner (8) as he nicked one to keeper Ash Brewer.

Although Lloyd was not finding scoring easy he stayed in – but he was running out of partners.

This was thanks mainly to four wickets from George Rhodes – starting with De Weymam LBW for one then two in two balls in the 24th over.

Vaughan was bowled without scoring and Garwe was caught as Jamie Tapper plucked one out of the air at cover.

Byram survived the hat-trick ball but fell the next over as he was clean bowled by Jon Dovey for 6.

Wellington’s 68-8 became 75-9 as Andy Ford grabbed a wicket with his second ball - bowling Mackleworth for 1.

O’Connor came to the crease and attacked from the start – hitting 2 fours and 2 sixes – the second of which took Wellington past 100.

Despite a patient inning Lloyd had a rush of blood and scampered down the wicket only to miss it and be stumped by Brewer to give Rhodes his fourth wicket.

Wellington were bowled out for 103 with O’Connor left 21 not out.

In the local derby with OE’s the 2nd XI posted a decent total of 238 all out with Elliot Hennessy (56), Stewart Hepburn (55) and Tom Banks (40) top-scoring.

Unfortunately OE’s chased it down in the 48th over despite Elliot Hennessy’s 4-33.

In the double header with Kempsey it was mixed fortunes. The 3rd XI fell 40 runs short of Kempsey’s 249 to get a losing draw.

This despite being 170-2 thanks to Tim Clarke (64), Jez Clarke (52) and Chris Smedley (31) – Steve Winstanley taking 4-30.

In an equally tense finish BGCC 4th XI took victory. Kempsey 2nd XI were bowled out for 154 with young Josh Dickenson taking a fantastic 4-30.

39 from Zack Marsh and 36 from Chris Murphy plus 20 from Dick Brown took the Green close but it was Dickenson who hit the winning runs as the Green finished 155-9.

Success continued on Sunday as BGCC U12s took another local scalp in their first season in the Premier division.

Batting first the Green posted an impressive 138-1 off their 20 overs with Sutton, Hallion and Dickenson all retiring at 30no.

Ombersley fell short on 115-5 with wickets from Hallion (2), Sutton and Regan.

Also on Sunday the Green’s Sunday 2nd XI had a 9 wicket victory over Bewdley – star performance came from Jack Mackintosh who made his maiden century for the club.