BARNT GREEN will be hoping to prove they are back in form when they head to Birmingham League Premier Division champions West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday.
Green ended a four-match losing run last weekend when Ed Pollock smashed 130 in his first game as captain to help them defeat Brockhampton by 17 runs.
They now want to build on the performance when they visit a Dartmouth side who are level on points in the table.
Pollock, back in the Green team after playing for Durham MCU and captaining the side, provided the highlight against visitors Brockhampton with his 154-ball 130, which included 12 fours and four sixes, helping them to 290-9.
Tom Brown then took five wickets to ensure Brockhampton fell just short with 11 balls to spare.
Having won the toss and batted at Cherry Hill Road, William Baker scored 36 to give Green a solid start but they slipped to 133-5 before Pollock and Brown then enjoyed a 120-run stand for the sixth wicket.
The momentum fizzled out once Nicholas Powell ended Pollock’s innings and Brown was run out for 55, which included seven fours.
Brockhampton looked on course to reach their target, but after an opening partnership of 75 from Danny Irvine (69) and Henry Langford (32), regular wickets ensured Barnt Green were always in the hunt.
After the disappointment of last week’s one-run defeat, another close finished looked on the cards as Chris Powell (43) and Adam Hewlett (27) added 53 for the seventh wicket.
But Hewlett became one of Brown’s five wickets and Luke Radford and teenager Tom Banton took two wickets to bowl out the visitors for 263 with 11 balls to spare.
l Barnt Green’s hopes in the ECB National Cup T20 were ended by Walmley on Sunday at Cherry Hill Road.
Green bowed out after losing by 17 runs and Walmley now face Shrewsbury in the area quarter-final.
Walmley took the initiative after Tom Burton and Jamie Harrison hit 95 for the opening wicket. Burton finished with 76 off 45 balls, including 12 fours and one six, as they ended their innings on 158-6.
Robert Wigley took 3-22.
In reply, Barnt Green lost wickets at regular levels, with only Ed Pollock (27) and Tom Brown (38) threatening a big score.
Three wickets fell for three runs as they tried to push the score on in the final overs but they ended on 141-8.
