FORMER first-class batsman Simon Hinks rolled back the years to take a match-winning century off Herefordshire’s Over-50s in their opening fixture of the season at Eastnor.

Left-hander Hinks, who made 11 first-class hundreds for Gloucestershire between 1982 and 1994, hit a patient 108 and proved the difference between the sides as Gloucestershire Over-50s secured a comfortable 74-run victory.

Herefordshire couldn’t have made a better start to the game with Adrian Gore and Steve Docker removing the Gloucestershire openers without either managing to trouble the scorers.

But then the experienced Hinks, making his Over-50s debut and batting at number three, took over to dominate the scoring, with only two other Gloucestershire batsmen getting into double figures. Edward Gordon-Lennox chipped away to make 15 and number 10 John Courtney hit a careful 30 as Gloucestershire rallied from 105-8 to 181 all out in 43.4 overs.

The Herefordshire attack bowled commendably straight, with Simon Probyn taking 3-51 and Alan Jones (2-18), Gore (two for 23) and Dave Bradley (2-33) all bagging a couple of victims apiece.

In reply Herefordshire made a solid enough start but wickets then started to tumble once Chris Trembath struck twice in an over and though skipper Jones (14) and Probyn (10) steadied things in the middle of the innings, it needed some late-order tail-wagging from Kevin Smith (10) and Docker (20 not out) to edge Herefordshire into three figures against some tight Gloucestershire bowling.

They were finally dismissed for 107 in the 42nd over.