Lichfield completed a seasonal double over Harborne by claiming a seven-wicket Birmingham Premier League Division Two home win at Collins Hill.
The hosts conceded 51 extras including an eye-watering 34 wides, but with none of the visitors’ batting line-up able to go beyond skipper Tom Arnold’s unbeaten 35 Harborne closed on 198 for nine.
Lichfield’s batters also struggled to break the shackles but opening pair Tom Swift – who made a match-defining 94 – and Will Davies who ground his way through 47.5 overs for an unbeaten 49 added 153.
And with dangerous Harborne spinners Swapnil Gugale and Jasper Davidson now out of the attack the hosts cruised to the finishing line with 13 deliveries remaining.
This result leaves Harborne in fourth place in the table with two rounds of action remaining.
“It wasn’t our best performance,” Arnold acknowledged.
“On a very tough batting pitch with lots of variable bounce we thought we had a chance after clawing our way to 200.
“But we didn’t bowl especially well and got no luck at all with loads of playing and missing and balls lobbing between fielders so it wasn’t to be.
“Jasper Davidson was the pick of the attack and he sometimes got past the outside edge three or four times an over without getting the breakthrough.”
After opting to bat first Harborne were soon struggling at 33 for three after Brinder Phagura removed openers Jamie Harris and Jack Clifford – fresh from winning the Player-of-the-Tournament award in the Kenilworth Wardens Floodlit T20 Blast – plus Tejas Wagle.
Swapnil Gugale (27) and Jasper Davidson (25) then doubled the score before the Indian ace was caught behind off Robert Turner.
After the same combination removed Jimmy Clifford for five, Jasper Davidson was joined by brother Oliver in a sixth-wicket partnership worth 34.
However, when both were pinned lbw in quick succession the visitors were under serious pressure at 118 for seven.
Wicket-keeper Matt James then joined Arnold in adding 42 eighth-wicket runs in the most productive partnership of the innings.
And Harborne’s skipper went on to finish with an unbeaten 55-ball 35 as the visitors scrambled to 198 for nine.
Phagura claimed 3-26 for Lichfield while there were two wickets apiece for James Wilkinson and Turner.
The hosts then made a bright start against Harborne’s seamers, reaching 34 before Gugale and Jasper Davidson entered the attack after just seven overs of pace.
This applied an immediate brake to the scoring rate, but the much-needed breakthrough failed to arrive and as a result Davies and Swift gradually ticked off the landmarks.
They passed 50 in the 18th over before reaching three figures ten overs later as Arnold juggled his six-strong attack to no avail.
After 37 overs Lichfield were 150 without loss then finally the return of paceman Oliver Davidson ended Swift’s fine innings at 94 made from 144 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.
Taylor-Tibbitt soon followed courtesy of a run out, but any thought that this may trigger a collapse were averted by Stuart Fielding whose positive approach yielded a 25-ball 20.
With Davies defending resolutely, Lichfield eventually clinched the spoils in the 48th over by which point their opener had accumulated an unbeaten 49 from 102 balls.
Harborne visit Bridgnorth next Saturday.
