BARNT Green returned from their trip to Shrewsbury in Birmingham & District Premier Division One with a losing draw, despite Edward Pollock’s half-century.
Saturday’s fixture was the second time that the two sides had met in a week, with the Green previously getting the better of the Shrews in the ECB National Club Championship group 7 final.
However, the eight points earned at London Road have lifted Barnt Green out of the drop zone, following West Bromwich Darmouth’s loss at Smethwick.
Shrewsbury opener Will Parton (4) was lost at 4-1 when caught by Tom Brown off an Andrew Sutton (3-54) delivery, though the partnership of 43 in response between Rob Foster (18) and Rhodri Evans (32) got the hosts up and running.
Sutton dismissed Foster and Asharn Hodge (5) either side of a wicket for Adam Hines – who caught and bowled Evans.
But unfortunately for the visitors, the wickets did not continue to fall, with George Panayi (64) and Matthew Swift (54) instead laying on 98 for the fourth wicket.
While the Shrews’ run rate slowed after Panayi was caught by Dominic Harding from a Peter Scott delivery, the hosts were able to battle on to their total of 215-7 thanks to an unbeaten 30 from number eight Tyler Ibbotson.
In reply, Scott (9) was the first Barnt Green wicket to fall at 30-1, before a stunning partnership of 81 between George Hargrave (42) and Pollock (58) – the latter dismissed shortly after achieving his half-century by Ibbotson.
The visitors were unable to build on their promising start, and soon began to lose key members of their batting line-up, with Hargrave, Harding (1) and Rheedyi Amin (6) all gone at 120-5.
William Baker (2) was lost cheaply, while Tom Brown (21) was the last wicket to fall as Darrel Williams (13no) saw the Green through to their final total of 165-7.
Barnt Green now get set for another tough task on Saturday (noon), when welcoming third-place Smethwick.
