BARNT Green skipper Andy Sutton says his side’s progress in the National T20 competition could have a positive knock-on effect.

The Birmingham Premier League game at home to Walmley was abandoned after heavy rain on Saturday morning, despite sunshine breaking through for most of the afternoon, with water on square and puddles on the outfield, although sunshine did break through for most of the afternoon.

But the break clearly had no adverse effect with Green beating Penkiridge by 23 runs the following day.

A large part of that win Sutton credited a large part of that win to some excellent fielding plus some miserly bowling by spinners Josh Poysden, Darrell Williams and Tom Brown.

“They bowled really nicely, changed their pace and Penkridge, after a good start, got further and further behind the required run-rate.

“In the field there were one or two slip-ups, but we had a young side who threw themselves a around.

“The T20 format is exciting and very enjoyable so it’s something worth pursuing, and there is also the incentive of the latter rounds being televised on Sky Sports.

“Younger teams do well in it but there are aspects of the shorter game than we can take into our Saturday league cricket.

"We play in front of big crowds and its made the bowlers and the batters have to be more innovative."

West Bromwich Dartmouth provide the opposition in the third regional round this Sunday at Cherry Hill Road, but before that Birmingham League takes priority this weekend with a testing top flight trip to Shrewsbury (noon start).

The defending champions have suffered a difficult start to the summer with just one win and were held to a losing draw by Kidderminster at the weekend.

“They haven’t had the best of starts this year and we will look to take advantage of that,” added Sutton.

“But we won’t take anything for granted.

“It is still a very tough place to go and you have to be on the ball right from the start.

"They have some very good cricketers, with people like the Foster brothers, and will want to put things right after their slow start.”

One other plus for Barnt Green was the return of Luke Radford, who picked up three wickets in the 23-run win against Penkridge.

“It was good have Luke back and with him on board it looks at the minute as though we will go to Shrewsbury at full strength.”

Green are currently mid-table in the Premier Division, winning two out of their seven games so far this summer and seeing they have won two matches and had four of their matches abandoned.