BARNT Green claimed a first maximum points victory of the season when beating Smethwick by 57 runs in Birmingham & District Premier Division One.
A half-century by Tom Brown (58) en route to a 215 total, followed by an accomplished display of bowling at the change of ends, moves the Green up to seventh in the division.
Batting first, the hosts opened with 37 between Edward Pollock (33) and Peter Scott (30), but lost Pollock and number three Jacques Banton (2) in quick succession.
Dominic Harding (17) dismissal left Green on 65-3, but the scoreline quickly began to take shape after Scott formed partnerships of 51 with Rheedyi Amin (31), and 45 with Brown.
The run rate slowed after Scott was run out by Sukhjit Singh, but the remaining batting order crept Barnt Green over the 200 mark before being bowled out to leave the hosts with a respectable total to defend.
In reply, Smethwick’s Omar Masood (29) and Amrinder Brar (54) managed 38 before the first wicket, though Hamza Ahmed (6) and Rawait Khan (5) failed to build any momentum at the crease.
The dismissals of Gurinder Singh (24), caught by Henry Marshall, and talisman Brar, caught by Amin – both from Scott (2-16) deliveries were crucial, after the duo put together a partnership of 40.
From there, the Smethwick innings collapsed, with only number eight Ali Ebad (22) able to reach double figures, with Marshall (2-22) and Andrew Sutton (2-24) dismissing the visitors for 158 after 49 overs.
Barnt Green now get set for a visit to West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday (noon).
