Bromyard continued their fine start to the WCL division two season with a 125-run victory at home to Pedmore.

BROMYARD v PEDMORE

After some showers, Pedmore won the toss and put Bromyard into bat, but having seen out the first ten overs the Bullock brothers were soon into their stride.

After 20 overs Bromyard were 72-0 and looking set for a decent total. The Bullocks continued to accumulate with few alarms and by the 30- over mark the score had moved on to 123-0 (Bromyard's first 100 partnership for two years), with Ash having reached his 50 off 89 balls in 109 minutes and elder brother Matt following him to his half century nine minutes later off 87 balls.

The introduction of off-spinner Danny McDonnell finally brought a breakthrough for Pedmore, with Ash Bullock toe-ending a pull shot and being caught and bowled for 61 off 101 balls with 12 fours, with the score at 140.

Edd Oliver continued to push the score along and by the 40 over mark Bromyard were 197-1. Matt Bullock pushed on to his century, his third in the Worcestershire League, with a superbly driven straight four bringing up his ton off 132 ball in 172 minutes.

Bromyard closed at 270-1 off their 50 overs with Matt Bullock on 119no (including 13 fours and five sixes). Edd Oliver chipped in with 47no off 61 balls including five fours and a six as the second wicket added 130 runs unbroken.

In reply, Pedmore's left-hander Danny McDonnell hit 26 off just 21 balls with six fours, before he was dismissed in extraordinary fashion, trying to flick a leg side full toss through mid-on, only to lose his grip on the bat and send it looping into the air, and onto his leg stump to make the score 30-1.

Phil Whittenbury quickly picked up Pedmore's number three. James Hine got in on the act by bowling Skelding for three and having their number five lbw the next ball to leave Pedmore 51-4.

Things got worse for Pedmore as Whittenbury picked up their skipper Matt Porter lbw for one and bowled M Jarrett for a duck before having opener C Jarrett caught low down at first slip by Oliver for 31.

From 69-7 after 18 overs there looked to be no way back but former skipper Stuart Bates soon put the bat to ball and looked to have found an able ally in T Weston.

It took the introduction of off-spinner Steve Tomkins playing just his second game in three years to break the partnership as he bowled Bate for 32 to end a stand of 50 and make it 119-8. Whittenbury followed up by trapping Denyer lbw for five to make it 135-9, and a sharp piece of glove work from Richard Brookes had last man Taylor stumped off Tomkins for five to leave Pedmore 145 all out after 34.5 overs, with Weston 36no, and a jubilant Bromyard winners by 125 runs. Whittenbury finished with 6-39 from 17 overs with seven maidens, just reward for a superb spell of accurate away swing in chilly conditions. James Hine picked up 2-72 and Steve Tomkins 2-12 in support. The result earned Bromyard 24 points whilst Pedmore picked up just one.

For the second week the seconds' game was called off without a ball bowled due to a wet pitch.