BERKSWELL moved to the top of the Birmingham Premier League table following a comfortable six wicket win over Worcestershire based Barnt Green.
Having won the toss home skipper Dominic Ostler invited the visitors to bat first and that proved to be the correct decision after opening bowler Dave Brignull (4 for 19), in an exemplary display of medium paced bowling, claimed the first four wickets to fall.
After 18 overs Barnt Green had been reduced to 60 for 4 and with the introduction of left arm spinner Nick James into the attack, the visitors continued to find run scoring a struggle.
James (3 for 23) picked up the middle order wickets of Tom Brown (26), Jayme Crouch (10) and Lee Tyrrell (0) to leave Barnt Green on 145 for 7 in the 43rd over. Only Matthew Lamb (78) offered any resistance, but when he was caught at long off by Oliver Haley off the bowling of Gert Cloete in the 48th over, the prospect of a total much over 200 had diminished and the innings came to end on 201 for 9 after 50 overs.
In reply Berkswell started cautiously and lost opener Tom Lewis (9) in the 7th over with the score on 17. The departure of Lewis brought Chris Whittock to the crease to join Mark Best and the pair then proceeded to make full use of a perfect batting wicket. Over the course of the next sixteen overs they constructed a partnership of 112 before the impressive Whittock (47) was caught behind by Cheshire off Sutton’s bowling. New batsman Nick James (4) only lasted three balls before falling lbw to Radford. However, Mark Best and Oliver Haley kept up the run scoring momentum with Best looking in fine form so early in the season. However, in the 32nd over, having just hit Ben Dunn for a huge six Best was caught by Crouch at deep mid-off for an excellently made 83. Victory finally came in the next over with Haley remaining undefeated on 36, and Ostler 1 not out.
On Saturday, Berkswell travel to Kidderminster to play the side currently at the bottom of the table.
