BARNT Green second XI skipper Alex Woods will never forget his day out in Herefordshire this week.

Drafted into the Firsts, the 24-year-old seamer responded by taking nine wickets as the Green helped themselves to a splendid six wicket win over Brockhampton.

Woods was only denied a full house of wickets when skipper Andy Sutton dismissed Brockhampton top scorer Ashley Bullock for 70, which was the sixth wicket to fall.

It was the first time Woods had taken five wickets at Birmingham League Premier level, let alone nine.

Yet had the Green been closer to full strength, Woods would have probably not played at all.

Sutton, who showed no remorse for picking up the remaining wicket to fall, insisted: "Alex is a great bloke to have around. He comes steaming in and gives you everything.

"I think Alex was already delighted having picked up five wickets for the first time at this level, so I don't think he minded too much about not taking all 10.

"Whenever he's had to step up, he's always done a cracking job."

Wood finished with figures of nine for 62 from 14.4 overs. But despite his best efforts, Brockhampton still managed to post a competitive score of 269 all out.

But the Green made light of their target in reply as they raced to a winning 270 for four with almost 10 overs to spare.

Tom Brown led the assault by scoring an almost run-a-ball 101 while Warwickshire's Matt Lamb underlined his recent good form with 105 off 79 balls, his innings comprising of 12 fours and three sixes.

It was Brown's first Birmingham League century and Sutton quipped: "There were quite a few jugs to be bought afterwards.

"But the really good thing is that it's the fringe players who are standing up at the moment.

"It wasn't just about Alex Woods and Tom Brown. People like Ethan Holmes, Jacques Banton and Adam Hussain are really stepping up to the mark as well, especially when you consider we were missing players like Ben Ladd-Gibbon, Tom Banton, Ed Pollock and Josh Poysden.

"When they come back available again, I'm going to have a real headache selecting the side."

The Green will look to extend their three match winning run this Saturday when they entertain title challengers Shrewsbury at Cherry Hill Road.