BARNARDS Green had to settle for a losing draw in a rain-reduced game at Birmingham League Division One leaders Ombersley.
Chasing 166 to win in 31 overs, Green struggled to keep up with the run rate in bowler friendly conditions and despite another half-century from captain George Rhodes, finished on 147-5.
When the game finally got underway at 3.15pm, The Green got off to a fine start as Liam Smith took two wickets in two balls to leave the visitors 1-2.
A third-wicket partnership of 90 between opener Liam Gwynne and Oliver Uffindall then threatened to take the game away from the hosts before returning veteran spinner, Chris Smedley, tempted Uffindall to sky one to mid-on for 33.
Smedley then took another wicket in his next over to leave Ombersley 115-4 with 25 overs gone.
Alex Hepburn then changed ends and clean bowled the dangerous Chris Harwood for a duck before dismissing Gwynne the same way in his next over for 68 off 65 balls.
Some lusty blows by the lower order eventually took Ombersley to 165-8, with Smith, Hepburn and Smedley all picking up two wickets each.
Rhodes and Mark Hardinges took to the field with The Green needing to score at more than five an over but tight bowling from the start saw the run rate increase.
In trying to take the attack to the bowlers Hardinges was run out by Gwynne for 25.
Hepburn joined Rhodes and both batsmen tried to up the scoring before Hepburn was caught for 22.
When Alex Milton came to the crease Barnards Green needed 60 off 5 overs.
Rhodes’ innings came to an end when he was caught at long-on for a well-made 60. Milton gave the spectators hope when he hit a magnificent 6 and a deft reverse sweep for 4. But Jon Dovey (1) then also holed out and Ash Brewer (3) was run out after a fine dive, pick up and throw from Gwynne.
Despite the best efforts of Milton (24) and Liam Smith (7) The Green fell just 19 runs short of their target.
Their score did gain them 6 points – one more than the other teams who had abandoned games elsewhere – but the result leaves them third from bottom.