NEW ZEALAND speedster Ben Hawkes led by example with the ball taking seven wickets as Burghill, Tillington and Weobley ran out winners by five wickets against Barnt Green.

Though the sun was shining, it was evident there was dampness below the surface of the wicket and after winning the toss Burghill elected to bowl.

Hawkes capitalised on the conditions and had Barnt Green reeling at 24-4 after seven overs. He bowled with pace and aggression, snapping up all four wickets to fall.

Opener Daniel Meredith (33) was proving difficult to dislodge and with Ben Jackson (25), they built a 40 run fifth wicket partnership before Meredith was smartly caught on the boundary by Joel Aldridge off Mohammed Hassan.  

Wickets kept falling at regular intervals and with seven down Hawkes was brought back into the attack.  

The Kiwi cleaned up the tail, all three batsmen being castled, in a fiery two-over spell. Barnt Green were bowled out for 102 off 28.5 overs with Hawkes finishing with 7-29 off 8.5 overs, five of his victims being clean bowled.

In reply, after Ollie Maund fell early, seemingly no one told Jack Stockdale (24) and Joel Aldridge (17) they had 50 overs to score 103.  

The pair were in T20 mode and the score raced to 52 after six overs.  

Then three quick wickets had nerves jangling and thoughts of the infamous BTWCC collapses.

However, Hassan (27 not out) and 16 year-old AJ Morris (11) steadied the ship for a five-wicket win.

Daniel Meredith was the pick of the Barnt Green bowlers finishing with 3-13 off 9 overs.

The win takes Burghill, Tillington and Weobley up to fourth in the league, just two points behind second place Ombersley.

Both the Burghill seconds and the thirds had their matches cancelled due to the wet weather.

Next week the Burghill travel to Colwall when Hawkes will be up against fellow Kiwi Jack Collins, Colwall’s overseas player.