A CHANGE in fortunes saw Stretford Cricket Club's first team beat Greater Manchester League Division Two leaders Flowery Field in a tense contest on Saturday.

The Stretford bowling gave nothing away as Thomas Wright opened up with a hostile spell taking two early wickets.

At the other end, Muhammad Ahmad was whirling away at only two an over.

But at 69-2 Flowery looked well placed until Alex Grant superbly ran out the opener Lawton for 32.

Muhammad finished with 2-30 off his 15 overs as Stretford steadily took wickets.

Veteran Jason Stringer took 1-18 off eight overs and spinners Brad Holmes 2-11 and Danie Van Schoor 2-10 helped bowl Flowery Field out for 117.

Stretford needed a good start in their reply, but the Flowery opening bowlers had other ideas with Stretford stuttering to 22-3 with the elder statesmen of the team Scott Webb, Chris Sharp and Stringer all out.

This brought David Roberts and Van Schoor together and they set about winning the game.

They took the score to 107-4 when Aussie Roberts was out for a well-deserved 50.

This started a collapse as Matthew Armstrong, Van Schoor (27) and Barlow fell in quick succession.

But Holmes and Wright scored the handful of runs required to win the game.

The win keeps Stretford in fourth place in the league.

On Saturday the first team are away at South West Manchester and the second team are at home to Friends United CC, while on Sunday the thirds are at South West Manchester and the fourths host Denton.