BURGHILL, Tillington & Weobley took local bragging rights as they came away with a five-wicket victory at Bartestree & Lugwardine.
Burghill won the toss and elected to field. The decision proved the correct one since batting conditions were a tad easier later in the day.
Opening quicks, Reece Thomas and JD Lewis bowled a miserly opening spell, restricting the Bartestree openers to 11 runs after 10 overs.
This set the tone for the rest of the innings although Max Backhouse (50 not out off 66 balls), Edward Milner (31 off 33), and did open their shoulders.
Needing to get the scoreboard ticking over, Andy Rogers (15 off 21 balls) and Max Backhouse got things going with good running between the wickets and a flutter of boundaries.
However, a couple of silly runouts and poor shots claimed a few wickets at one end but Backhouse stayed firm and saw himself to his second 50 of the season off 66 balls.
A bashful cameo from Tom Strangward (28 not out off 28) at the end gave the Tree a solid total at 191-7 off their 50 overs which they saw as a defendable target.
Bartestree were pumped when they took the field and they were further buoyed by the earlu wickets of Samuel Williams (10) and Clive Chadhani for a duck.
At 19-2, the Burgs were in some bother only for their middle order to show some steel.
Ranjit William and Sabil Sarmad took the score to 47 before William was caught for 18.
Mohammed Hassan then joined Sarmad and they played sensibly taking the score to 104. Sarmad was then forced to retire hurt with cramp on 39.
Reece Thomas entered the fray and quickly took the game away from Bartestree. He bludgeoned a quick-fire 42 off 28 balls, including a humongous six over cow. With Hassan they took the score to 161 before Hassan was adjudged LBW for 42.
With the score on 161-4 there was still work to be done for the visitors.
However, 15-year-old Archie Stevenson (18 not out) and Sarmad were at the crease, tasked with getting the winning runs.
Stevenson is presently a bowling all-rounder but his batting has improved considerably over the winter.
It was fitting that the teenager should hit the winning runs, for a five-wicket victory for the Burgs. Sarmad played the anchor role to perfection.
In the Premier Division, Brockhampton gave their campaign a welcome lift with a 13-run win at Worcester Nomads.
After being put into bat the Herefordshire side started brilliantly with A J Hinkley (60) and Tom Austwick (40) putting on 96 for the first wicket.
Skipper Samuel Johnson chipped in with 56 and Sam Harn an unbeaten 34 to reach 222-7 off 50 overs.
With the ball James took four wickets as Brockhampton restricted the Nomads to 209-6.
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