SKIPPER Andrew Sutton has urged Barnt Green not take their foot off the gas as they continue with their bid to avoid the drop from the Birmingham League Premier Division.
The Green, who are two points above second-from-bottom Ombersley, have three games to save themselves from dropping out one of the best Premier cricket leagues in the country.
Sutton admitted there would huge celebrations if the Cherry Hill Road side avoided the drop but was quick to stress both himself and the rest of the squad are not getting carried away with their recent run of good form.
Green have won three games on the bounce, a timely boost of confidence going into Saturday’s trip to Smethwick and the remainder of the season.
“It’s quite a nerve-wracking time being captain but exciting at the same time,” said Sutton.
“No champagne corks are being popped just yet as it’s all very tight down the bottom.
“Going to Smethwick will be tough as it’s always a difficult place to go and get a victory.
“However, if we player the cricket I know we can play – like we have done over the past three games – I am confident we can get the right result.
“It’s all about making sure we get the basics right, not taking our foot off the gas and picking up as many points as possible.”
It proved to be a fruitful Bank Holiday weekend for Green who enjoyed victories over fellow relegation battlers Wolverhampton and Kenilworth Wardens respectively.
Last Saturday’s match between Wolverhampton and Green was interrupted on several occasions.
After the first interruption, the match was reduced to 42 overs per side and 48 from a subdued Ed Pollock and 40 from opener Jamie Harrison guided Green to 219-8.
Faced with a revised target of 227 from 42 overs under the Duckworth Lewis system, a further interruption implemented another revision to 199 from 36 overs.
Aneesh Kapil hit 44 for Wolverhampton but 4-35 from Tom Brown pegged them back to 193-8 at the end of their innings.
Then on Monday, Pollock blasted 58 from 27 balls to give the Green innings a flying start against Wardens before Will Baker (80) and Matt Lamb (59) took the total to an imposing 305-7 from 50 overs.
Nick Seager launched the ball to all parts of the boundary for Wardens, reaching 104 from 62 balls.
However, once he was out at 140-7, the game was comfortably in Green’s grasp.
Zain Ul-Hassan then took 3-21 to help Wardens on their way to a 104-run defeat.
