Barley produced an excellent performance to defeat title hopefuls Cambridge University Sports and Social Club on Saturday. Following a run of games abandoned for rain Barley had found themselves too near the foot of the table for comfort. Skipper Chri

Barley produced an excellent performance to defeat title hopefuls Cambridge University Sports and Social Club on Saturday.

Following a run of games abandoned for rain Barley had found themselves too near the foot of the table for comfort.

Skipper Chris Allan was pleased to win the toss and had no qualms in asking USSC to bat on a wicket still damp from the heavy rain the night before.

The plan, however, seemed flawed as USSC pushed on at a brisk pace.

Having just been hit for 12 off one over, Brian Symes was replaced by veteran spinner Eric Davis.

Running in off two paces Davis rolled back the years and clean bowled Beresford-Clarke.

Tying up one end with a range off leg breaks and flippers Davis allowed Peter Chuck (2-25) to get at the USSC top order.

Chuck had McCluskey well caught by the ever alert Busby and then danger man Savage had his stumps knocked out of the ground by a jaffa.

Michael Ross (4-40) replaced Chuck and bowled his usual accurate and controlled spell.

Following a superbly casual six-saving catch on the boundary by Symes, every time the batsmen missed Ross would hit as he took four wickets in an excellent spell.

Bruce Carnaby (2-30) took over from Davis and gave another exhibition of controlled bowling.

Carnaby clean bowled the bemused USSC captain with one he never saw and took his second wicket with the last ball of the innings when Allan leaped and took a brilliant one handed catch.

Great bowling by the Barley bowlers and some superb fielding meant that Barley had a decent chance to chase down the 144 needed to win.

In reply, Jamie Walters and wicket-keeper Pip George started slowly and carefully. Good running and an occasional boundary kept the score ticking along to 30-0 off 10 ovres.

George then stepped back to a daisy-cutter and was bowled. Chris Markham showed promise but was caught by Laing.

He walked when many observers, including the umpires thought he had played a bump ball. A chivalrous act in a week when other more illustrious cricketing teams appear to have shown no respect for the ideals of fair play and sportsmanship.

Brian Symes the came out and looked to have played himself in before he caught a leading edge and skied one to McCluskey off Dunford.

Walters who had looked good all innings had moved carefully onto 40 when he was joined at the crease by Chris Allan.

Barley, at 79-3 after 22 overs, needed to accelerate a little. So, Allan showing the USSC bowlers scant respect blasted 45 not out in seven action packed overs.

Walters passed his 50 with a six and would have carried his bat had he not been caught on the boundary trying to prevent Allan from scoring his own 50.

McMahon came out, faced two balls and scored four runs in a finely crafted cameo innings that saw Barley win in just the 30th over.

Twenty valuable points should mean that Barley are safe in Junior League One for another year.

With new players at the club and rivalries to be renewed with Great Chishill and Cokenach, next year should be an exciting year for the local Cambridgeshire League teams.

- Despite some midweek coaching from former all-rounder Mike Brooke, Hatley & Arrington slipped to defeat in their traditional August Bank Holiday match at home to Bedford Prime Ministers.

Following two weeks without a game, Hatley had hoped that a session with Brooke, back in England for a visit from his retirement home in France, would help get them sharpen up.

However, they produced some variable bowling as the visitors rattled up 146 runs in their allotted 30 overs, with Steve Osborne (25) and John White (30) leading the way.

Steve Hooley and Matt Steele were the home side's most successful bowlers, with three wickets apiece while Shaun Davenport also caught the eye with some cleverly flighted deliveries but failed to take a wicket.

In reply, several Hatley batsmen made useful contributions, notably Luke Knibbs (24), Tim Davenport (24) and Matt Steele (26), but no one was able to make the more sizeable score which would have seen the home side to victory.

In the end, they were dismissed for 125 to lose by 21 runs. Bedford PM's most successful bowlers were Seb White and Osborne who finished with three wickets each.

- Royston's chances of avoiding relegation look set to go to the wire for the third straight season.

Their home game against Castor was called off due to a sodden wicket on Saturday, but they will be looking for better things when they host Khalsa.

If they fail to win on Saturday, they will need to defeat Waresley with a weakened team in their final game of the season to avoid a second successive relegation.