Admittedly Barby (209 for five) got the worst of a drying wicket on a big ground which once used to play host to an annual Warwickshire county championship match. Even so the home team’s four-wicket victory with only seven balls to spare came as a major surprise.

Going into this Saturday’s last match against fifth-placed Knowle and Dorridge at Longdown Lane, Barby (260 points) are only four points ahead of Corley with rapidly improving Pak Shaheen on the 241 mark.

Even so Barby need only another five points to make certain of promotion for the third season in succession.

Everything looked to be going according to plan when captain Tom Gleghorn hit an unbeaten 105 against Griff and Coton with a powerful innings which included four sixes and 13 fours.

There was back-up too from Dominic Batt (26) and Craig Lester (23) although the difficult batting conditions early on restricted the total to 68 for three at the halfway mark (25 overs).

All-rounder Calvert was Griff’s best bowler with three for 33 and he then scored 30 runs in support of opener Phil Daniels (70) and number four batsman Patel (42). Tom Middleton (three for 43) was Barby’s best bowler.

Barby second string remain third in the table, albeit a respectable 45 points behind runaway leaders Hunningham, after crushing Willclare (102 all out) by a massive 165-run margin.

The experienced Nigel Hancock scored a century for Barby while 16-year-old Charlie Seager hit 44 runs off only 36 deliveries as the visitors amassed 267 for seven.

Dan Dury (back from the USA) scored 38 and the reliable Neil Chippington 23.

Keith Hopkins took three for 71 as well as making top score of 27 not out to give Willclare an air of respectability as Chippington (12-3-37-5) and Richard O’Dell (10-4-14-2) ripped the heart out of the batting.

This Saturday Barby sign off from another successful season by entertaining Knowle and Dorridge at Longdown Lane while the second team travels to Erdington Court.