BARNARDS Green hung on for a dramatic draw against Smethwick in Birmingham League Division One at North End Lane.

Both sides finished on 225 as man-of-the-match Andy Ford (60) starred alongside George Rhodes (88) with the bat before taking 5-64 from 15 overs.

In a thrilling finish, Smethwick should have won it, but Gurinder Singh was stumped by keeper Ash Brewer.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Ford set the tone as he hit 13 in the first over off Sajid Ahmedazai.

Ryan Tongue (16) was caught by Vikram Sodhi in the slips before Ahmedazai then ran out Josh White (0).

Ford and Rhodes had put on 75 when the former was run out by G Singh.

Dannie Rees hit a boundary to get off the mark but was given out lbw for five off Sukhjit Singh.

Green had reached 141 in the 33rd over when the next wicket fell as Tom Banks (6) was trapped lbw by G Singh.

Jez Clarke joined Rhodes and just as they looked to have established a partnership disaster struck. Rhodes was run out by a direct hit from S Singh - his 88 included 11 fours before Clarke gave G Singh his second wicket.

Smethwick then finished Green off with Jon Dovey (9), Jack Mackintosh (4) and Brewer (7) all dismissed.

In reply the visitors got to 30 before Mackintosh trapped Amrinder Brar (25) lbw. Waqar Saleem (14) fell next again lbw this time to Rhodes.

But Mohammed Sheikh and Sodhi hit the ground running with the latter smashing a huge six to take them past 150.

Smethwick needed just 75 off 20 overs, but they were reduced to 168-5 thanks to three wickets from Ford. Sodhi (44) went lbw before Shiekh (69) and S Singh (0) were well caught by Rees.

Blair Kingsland had Arif Mahmood (7) caught behind, then Rees took his third catch off Ford to dismiss Karan Parmar (6).

G Singh hit big shots to keep Smethwick as favourites. But Qasim Shah (2) became Ford’s fifth victim when he was caught by Dovey to leave Smethwick 208-8.

They had reached 221 when smart fielding from Dovey dismissed Khan. G Singh brought up his 50 and tied the scores with a boundary, but he inexcusably took a pace down the wicket and missed the ball from Kingsland to be stumped by Brewer.