Green end season in style with home win (From Malvern Gazette)

Green end season in style with home win

3:41pm Monday 17th September 2007 in Cricket

BARNARDS GREEN v MALVERN

BARNARDS Green ended their Crusader Worcestershire League Division Two season with an eight-wicket home victory against Malvern at North End Lane.

With the Green already crowned champions and Malvern safe from relegation both sides could have been forgiven for showing signs of complacency.

However, the early exchanges showed that the local rivalry was enough to gee up both sides.

Malvern were asked to bat first by home skipper Chris Smedley and were soon trouble as Matthew Brookes captured the wickets of Bendall for 0 and Baugh for 13.

Andrew Hoogstraten pick up 2-24 in his four-over spell, including the scalp of Francis LBW.

Spinners Andrew Ford and Smedley (3-10) combined to take the final five wickets for 82 runs with the other wicket going to Williams.

Ball (39) and Huw Dimond (24) were the only notable contributions in their 194 all out.

Kevin Golder and Williams strode to the crease to set about the run chase after tea.

Golder was brutal on the opening attack and forced a number of errors as he struck bounday after bounday.

When Williams fell for five the scoreboard had advanced to 84.

Liam Paddock joined Golder, who eventually went for 88, and looked assured as he crafted an unbeaten 49.

Mark Hooper combined with Paddock to see the Green home with 14 overs remaining.