ANOTHER feeble batting display by Eastnor left a useful Bretforton side with a comfortable passage through to the area final of the National Village Championship.

Home team Eastnor elected to bat first after winning the toss but were bowled out in the final over for a below-par total of 130, a target their opponents chased down for the loss of three wickets, and with nine overs to spare.

Steve Hughes was the only batsmen in the top four to get to grips with a tight attack. When he was out in the 16th over, the fourth batsman to be clean bowled by opening bowler Key, he had scored 30 of the 49 runs on the board.

Shahid (23) joined Josh Emery (15) at this point and they set about repairing the damage. They had taken the score on to 89 after 26 overs, before being out in successive overs.

Tom Hurrell (14 not out) batted sensibly to take the innings into the final over, but found it difficult to pierce a well-set field.

With a small total to defend Eastnor needed an early breakthrough, but openers Witts (16) and Mitchell (25) saw off the opening burst without taking chances. The introduction of Faisal changed the innings; he dismissed both openers but, equally, conceded runs more freely.

Clarke (49) and Berry edged the visitors towards victory, until 15-year-old spinner James Febery claimed his first first-team wicket to get rid of the former.

Berry was undefeated on 49 when victory came up in the 31st over.