Barnards Green 324-3, Malvern 59 all out.

THE May Bank Holiday Monday saw Barnards Green’ youngster George Rhodes steer his side to victory with a maiden century against Malvern at Regency Road.

The visitors, high on confidence after a nailbiting win over Coombs Wood in the leagues’ Saturday fixture, while Malvern were hoping to erase the damage from their loss to Redditch.

Home skipper Anthony Arnold won the toss and inserted the visitors.

Despite the early loss of Chris Smedley, who was bowled by a Poole inswinger with the score on 19, Malvern failed to take advantage of the swinging ball and helpful conditions as the experienced Rob Francis sent down 12 wides in an expensive eight-over spell of 0-57.

Kevin Golder was joined by Rhodes. Adam Dovey replaced the expensive Francis and also struggled to bowl to the destructive Golder who reached a rapid half-century with yet another four.

Arnold briefly stemmed the tide as he picked up the wicket of Golder with his slow medium pace offerings, excellently caught by Mark Baugh, however, this respite was brief.

First Rhodes and then Liam Paddock took this as a challenge to further up the ante and propel the visitors to an imposing total.

Rhodes, son of Worcestershire director of cricket Steve, was soon celebrating his half century.

When Paddock was dismissed for 70 from 40 balls, Phil Harris immediately carried on where his team-mate left off to provide the necessary impetus to the last 10 overs.

Rhodes, at the other end, continued to impress as he powered through the 70s and 80s with a collection of boundaries. However, he appeared to be running out of time for a maiden century.

Needing nine runs from the final two overs, some excellent running brought him within touching distance.

At this point the youngster showed no sign of nerves as he shimmed confidently down the pitch to Poole and dispatched the ball high over the long on boundary to bring up his century with a pulled four off the final ball to set the home side an imposing 325 to win.

The visitors hoped that their seam attack could come up with the goods on a wicket that had clearly helped the batsmen.

Skipper Tim Williams was not disappointed as his overseas import Nick Murphy twice combined with wicketkeeper Adam Binks to dismiss both openers with the score at 21.

Williams himself joined the wicket takers, having Ollie Bendall caught by Rhodes for 17. However, he could not have imagined in his wildest dreams that Bendall’s score would be the highlight of the Malvern innings.

Murphy and then Andy Ford continued to scythe through the hosts’ line-up as some good catching and disciplined bowling accounted for the final seven Malvern wickets for the cost of 20 runs.

Despite an unfortunate misunderstanding between Smedley and Rhodes which led to a dropped chance , Murphy picked up a well deserved five-wicket haul when Tom Hale was caught by Ford at slip Ford himself picked up three late wickets with his off-spin. Murphy and Rhodes led the victors off as they completed at 48-point weekend.