BARNARDS Green welcomed WCL Division Three newcomers Dominies and Guild to North End Lane on a beautiful afternoon.

BARNARDS GREEN v DOMINIES & GUILD

On winning the toss Green skipper Rich Williams opted to bat. The Green started badly on a good pitch losing Jez Clarke leg before without scoring. The new ball provided plenty of movement but Dan Flynn joined Rich Williams and the pair started to consolidate well.

Both played in an attacking fashion and when Williams hoisted the first six of the innings over mid wicket the 100 was bought up in the 20th over. However he fell to the next ball, caught behind.

Paul Drinkwater played some attractive shots in providing support to the increasingly fluent Flynn. However, Drinkwater, Smedley and Tim Clarke all fell in quick succession leaving the Green on 167-5 after 36 overs.

Rob Richards joined Flynn and after taking some time to settle in, struck the ball firmly to the boundary. Flynn remained exquisite in his stroke play and completed his first century for the Green.

Richards completed an impressive maiden 50 before falling to a good catch on the boundary to leave the Green on 281-6 after 48 overs. Flynn still had time for an audacious hoisted six over mid wicket and closed on a magnificent 143no, containing 21 fours and a six. The Green closed on 295-6.

Wilks and Price started the reply in positive fashion. On a very easy paced wicket Rich Williams soon turned to a change of pace.

Tim Clarke, bowling his first spell of the season, ripped the heart from the Dominies top order with a superb display of bowling. Varying pace and length and gaining considerable movement as the batsmen found him unplayable.

Leg spinner Jez Clarke also chipped in with two wickets and when Tim Clarke picked up his seventh wicket Dominies found themselves at 85-9.

However youngsters Hill and Lewis played some excellent shots and raised some respectability.

Tim Williams returned to clean bowl Lewis and dismiss Dominies for 131 for a maximum 24 points.

The Green moved up to fourth place and travel to Enville tomorrow (Saturday) with an unchanged line up.

Thanks to match sponsors Clarke Roxburgh.

DOMINIES & GUILD II v BARNARDS GREEN II

THE Green 2nds finally managed to complete a league game as the sun shone on Worcestershire last Saturday.

The Dominies fielders and bowlers made a good effort in the heat dismissing Brookes, Curtis, Bell and Sherliker before the score reached 100 but opener Brian Hancock gave the innings some direction with a series of powerful straight and on drives. Coming in at number six Chris Hill gave him good support after an uncertain start and the score rose rapidly over 200. As the pair accelerated and the bowlers wilted, a huge score looked likely until skipper Dick Brown took pity on the fielding side and declared on 252-4 after 47 overs. Hill (62no) and Hancock remained undefeated at the end of a partnership worth 155 runs, which saw Hancock complete a chanceless century, which included 15 boundaries.

Dominies made a rapid start in reply but the opening bowlers Bell and Brookes responded to dismiss Humphries and M Loines as the scoring slowed. Sherliker and Fletcher bowled tidy spells as the home side reached the 100 mark in the 26th over, still a long way short of their daunting target.

At this point Brace started to take control playing a range of correct cricket shots and timing the ball well. He rode his luck as a number of difficult chances were spilled by the fielders and was assisted by the bowlers, who provided too many chances for easy boundaries. Duncan Bell was brought back into the attack and worked up a good pace to clean bowl McDonald and Gammon after Fletcher had made the break through by running out Loines for 30.

With six wickets down the Green now looked favourites but Brace and A Ford had other ideas and although Hill finally bowled Brace for 93, Ford took Dominies to a well deserved victory with three balls remaining.