Barkby United push County League leaders Rothley close

After winning the toss, Barkby put the visitors into bat and openers Patel and county academy player Buchard put on 44 for the first wicket.

In his first over, Smith trapped Patel LBW for 23, and then took the prize wicket of Niall O’Brien, clean bowling the Irish international him for eight.

Morris had Home LBW for five, and when Smith took his third wicket, bowling Buchard for 43 Rothley were 104-4.

Seven runs later, Morris had Bates LBW for one before spinners Drake and Hunt took the last five wickets, with only Khan’s 50, holding the innings together.

Chasing 198, Barkby’s innings started badly when former Leicestershire CCC bowler Ollie Freckingham trapped Silver LBW in his first over without a run on the board.

The hosts found runs hard to come by against the lively Freckingham and Hackett and lost Morris and Funnell with only 41 on the board.

Steve Flowers and Jamie Drake put on 62 for the fourth wicket before Drake was unfortunate to be given out caught behind off a ball that seemed to come off his pad.

The rest of the Barkby batsmen showed little resistance against Rothley’s spinners.

Only Steve Flowers (70) holding the innings together until he was last man out, caught on the boundary by O’Brien off Home, with the hosts 28 runs short.

Barkby took 12 points from the game and travel to play Kegworth on Saturday for a 12.30pm start, while the second team host Hinckley Town Seconds at Beeby Road (1pm).

Barkby: B. Silver 0, A. Morris 11, H. Funnell 14, S. Flowers 70, J. Drake 27, H. Whittaker 0, J. Hunt 6, C. Smith 2, A. Cookson 3, B. Leah 0, J. Johnson 0*, Extras 37. Total: 170.

Rothley: 198.

Bowling: H. Whittaker 4-0-24-0; J. Johnson 6-1-27-0; C. Smith 10-2-32-3; A. Morris 7-1-27-2; J. Hunt 10-2-38-1; J. Drake 9.3-1-47-4.