Radford to the rescue (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Radford to the rescue

NEAL Radford produced a miserly spell with the ball to prevent Evesham crashing to defeat last Saturday.

The Avon Street side appeared set for a heavy reverse after they had been dismissed for 121 with Studley's Nazir claiming 6-26 in 8.1 overs.

However, Radford and the rain came to Evesham's rescue although Adam Brookes took the vital wickets of openers Newdick and Smith who had threatened to guide the Warwickshire hosts to an easy win.

There was little hint of the problems to follow when double figure scores from Jon Gregory, Ian Suckling and Scott Marshall had seen Evesham reach 50 for the loss of Suckling.

Nazir, though, ripped out the middle order and only a fighting ninth wicket stand between Gavin Spares and Alex Harrison took the visitors to within four runs of a batting bonus.

Having reduced the target by 34 runs off nine overs when tea was taken, Studley seemed odds-on victors but a rain delay that restricted their reply to 35 overs tilted the balance back Evesham's way.

And, when Brookes claimed a third wicket after Radford had taken two himself, the visitors were in the ascendancy but Lewis and Nazir batted out the final few overs to close the innings on 105-5.

Radford's 15 exemplary overs cost just 26 runs, while Brookes took 3-20 off 12 overs.

Skipper Barry Clements will be hoping his batsmen shake off last weekend's lethargy when Evesham play host to Tamworth in their third Birmingham and District Premier League second division clash of the season on Saturday.