Tenbury 178 all out, Canon Frome 179-5.

CANON Frome took the spoils in a five-wicket win over Tenbury in Crusader Worcestershire League Division Four South.

Frome won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first.

Some tight bowling from Louis Watkins and veteran Neil Andrews ensured a slow start to the innings, with Andrews having two chances missed by keeper Max Backhouse.

Watkins struck twice to remove both openers and the pressure continued to build on the away side with the introduction of Chris Styles to the attack.

He returned figures of 4-20 from 14 overs as Tenbury stuttered to the 100 mark.

The ninth-wicket pair put up resistance before two late strikes from Matt Morgan saw the innings close on 178 all out.

A well-controlled performance by the home attack was only dented by some late-order hitting along with a large number of wides.

Frome’s reply began smoothly through Backhouse and Styles and they strode confidently along building a platform until Styles holed out for 30.

Dan Watkins made a brief entrance before falling to a run-out but Paul Andrews then joined Backhouse to take Frome past the three-figure mark inside 20 overs.

Andrews was next to depart and when Backhouse fell for a well-constructed 72, nerves were beginning to show back in the pavilion with some 50 runs still required.

Neil Andrews and Morgan steadied things once again before the former departed lbw with 25 runs still needed to clinch victory.

Louis Watkins saw the side home with Morgan as Frome completed a victory with plenty of overs to spare.