BARNARDS Green boosted their Birmingham and District Cricket League Division One title hopes with a five-wicket home win over Leamington Spa.

The Malvern club prop up a pack of four separated by just one point at the top and next do battle with new leaders Smethwick at North End Lane tomorrow (noon).

Green pushed Leamington down to fifth before winning by five runs at the same club in the ECB National T20 competition the next day.

Skipper George Rhodes won the toss in the league and Leamington batted first with 217-7 from 55 overs.

Green had few problems in reply and won with 221-5 in 43.5 overs as Rhodes carried his bat with 95 not out and 10 fours.

Leamington started slowly with 17-0 off the first 10 overs from Josh Tongue and Phil Harris.

Jon Dovey forced Zack Fagg (17) to find Rhodes at cover off his second ball.

Alex Hepburn bowled three maidens before Andy Ford and Rhodes hurried through the overs.

Leamington went from 113-1 to 122-5 with four wickets in five overs, including three for Ford (3-60), who had opener Jon Wigley (64) caught and bowled.

David Bailey (32) was held at silly mid-on by Hepburn off Rhodes but the visitors were lifted by a 72-run partnership from Lee Hopkins and Rob Williams.

Harris (2-41) struck in the 54th over with Williams (31) caught by Andrew Curtis and Hopkins (51) finding Rhodes at extra cover.

In reply, Green’s openers reached 50 by the 10th over before Curtis (9) was caught out.

Hepburn (39) and Rhodes scored 50 in 56 balls until the former fell and Nathan Newport (7) was trapped lbw.

Harris departed for a duck and Ford hit 27 off 20 balls but Jamie Tapper (23no) helped Rhodes knock off the 38 runs needed with more than 11 overs left for 20 points.

In the T20, captain Harris batted first and Green scored 154-8 with Curtis (47) and Newport (33) starring.

Curtis struck five fours and two sixes before Elliot Hennessy (12), Tongue (11) and Dovey (8no) contributed.

Leamington flew to 30 off four overs but Fagg (26) holed out to Tongue off Dovey’s first over. Jack Mackintosh bowled Bailey (44) and Harris secured two quick wickets.

Leamington needed 40 off the last four overs and David Hawkes (46) was run-out.

The hosts then required 10 runs off the final over only for Ford to bag a hat-trick with two catches and a stumping as Leamington finished on 149-9.

Green entertain Wolverhampton in the next round on Sunday.