Barnards green take maximum points away from Lichfield!

Lichfield v Barnards Green CC First Elevens

A lower order tail wag and a disciplined and well executed bowling performance spared Barnards Green blushes as they took maximum points from the Cathedral City of Lichfield in this week’s BDPCL clash. 

After losing the toss the visitors found themselves in big trouble at 25-5 losing Dovey, Golder, Ford, Smedley and McEwan without the scorers using much ink. Disciplined and watchful batting from Hooper who grafted hard for 29 and to a lesser extent Binks who batted an hour for 12 allowed first Wheeler to face the Lichfield change bowling and express himself scoring a brisk 32. 

Skipper Williams and Jon Dovey then combined in what turned out to be a match changing partnership as they dispatched all loose offerings. Even the return of the opening attack could not stunt their partnership until it was ended in the final over having added 66 vital runs. Williams top scoring with 35 and Dovey 33. Liddiard the pick of the bowlers with 4-44 and Wilkinson 3-48 and the visitors posting 185.

With Phil Harris unavailable due to MCCU commitments Jon Dovey immediately filled the new ball breach dismissing Price for 1 to give the Green a perfect start however Lichfield’s Kiwi import Bassett combined well with Sargison to build a partnership. Unfortunately for the home side this was the highlight of their innings with Sargsion falling to McEwan for 12 a procession of Lichfield batsmen fell at regular intervals with all of the Green bowlers getting in on the act. 

A McEwan slower ball accounted for Bassett caught Willaims for a fantastic 81. He received little support from the rest of the middle order with only Seager( who was hit in the chin by a Williams bumper) contributing 11 reaching double figures. 

McEwan picked up his third wicket to a smart catch by keeper Binks and it was then left to Ford to wrap up the tail with the impressive figures of 1.4 overs, 3 wickets, no runs to bowl the home side out for 116 his 3 wickets including an impressive catch at short leg from Golder.

This weekend the Green First Eleven travel to Sutton Coldfield with the second team entertaining Barnt Green at North End Lane.