THUNDEROUS bowling from Marcus Ashcroft helped Bartestree & Lugwardine to a morale-boosting 97-run victory against Herefordshire rivals Bromyard.
Buoyed by the visit of their local rivals openers Ed Webb (14) and Saminda Fernando (45) settled quickly.
Saminda showed his trademark flair, lighting up the early overs with elegant aerial strokes over mid-on, a cracking drive through the covers, and a towering six over square leg.
With 64 runs on the board after just 10 overs and no wickets down, Bartestree looked on track for a strong total.
However, a sudden collapse saw three quick wickets fall for just a single run, leaving the side wobbling like carriages on loose rails.
The ever-reliable Max Backhouse anchored his side brilliantly with a vital 48 runs, showing grit and determination while wickets tumbled around him.
Just when the innings seemed to be losing steam, in rolled Ashcroft with trademark power and poise.
Ashcroft supported Backhouse in a crucial 35-run partnership, adding an essential 22 runs himself and helping get the side back on track, with Chrissy Brown adding 26 to make a solid total of 213.
With steam in their stride, Bartestree returned for the second innings full of fire.
Ashcroft (3-29) got things rolling early, striking with a key wicket of opener Muhammad Irfan and combining with Thomas O’Connor (2-28), who bowled tightly from the other end, to remove three of Bromyard’s top four batsmen.
Meanwhile, Brown (2-22), was clearly out to prove a point to his former side bowling a tight, disciplined spell.
As the innings wore on and Bromyard’s resolve weakened, Ashcroft returned for a thunderous second spell, joining Brown to clean up the tail and blow the final whistle on Bromyard’s chase. All out for just 116, with Jack Barrett top scoring on 28.
Another Herefordshire derby match saw Brockhampton record a convincing six-wicket win against Burghill, Tillington and Weobley.
Put in to bat with cloud cover about, the Burgs were one down off the first ball of the match and were eventually all out for 107 with 18 overs left to bat.
Barney Morgan top-scored with a confident 26 before he was run out by a direct hit from Alex Hinckley.
Opening quick, Greg Leighton was in blistering form for Brockhampton claiming 6-29 off 9.1 overs.
The Burgs came out determined to put up a fight with the ball and had the Badgers 33-4 after 8.4 overs.
But an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 76 between George Mokler (46 no) and Ollie Langford (20 no) saw the home team secure victory by 6 wickets.
Dashawn Norville snapped up three wickets and he has now taken 13 wickets from just 32 overs bowled for Burghill.
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