Bretforton 1st 316-3 beat Alcester & Ragley 1st 195 all out by 121 runs

ALCESTER dominated the early exchanges as they were put into the field by Bretforton skipper Paul Jones.

After 23 overs, Bretforton had limped along to 71-3, with all the Ragley bowlers keeping the scoring rate down and picking up the wickets between them.

But at the fall of the third wicket, the game was turned on its head as Jones came out to join opener Witts, who was still there looking comfortable on 30 not out.

Jones stroked his first ball to the cover boundary and from then on he never looked back.

On what looked like a decent bowling track, he proceeded to dispatch the Ragley bowlers to all parts of the ground. After 90 minutes of carnage, he had hit 16 sixes and finished on 166 not out from only 95 balls.

In partnership with Witts, who was unlucky not to score a deserved century as he finished on 98 not out, the pair added 254 in only 22 overs to leave Bretforton on a massive 316-3.

Ragley were powerless to contain Jones on the day and he took the game away from them after a decent opening to the game.

In reply, Ragley again started poorly with the bat as they slumped to 21-2, opener Gary Strain unlucky to be run out backing up as the ball cannoned off the bowler's boot and into the stumps at the far end after a firm straight drive by Shaun Quirke.

There were some good performances in the batting as Paul Dipple once again showed his potential with an explosive 45, as he tried to emulate Jones, before being caught close in.

Veteran batsman Mark Fawthrop showed he is coming back into form as he scored a brisk 59 and in partnership with young Tom Morris(24), they added 70 for the sixth wicket.

Ragley tailenders fell away cheaply after these two had been got out in quick succession to subside to 195 all out.

Ragley are away at table-topping Exhall & Wixford on Saturday.