HEREFORDSHIRE enjoyed mixed fortunes when the sun finally arrived for their trip to High Wycombe to take on Buckinghamshire in the MCCA T20 competition.

A disappointing batting display left them short of a competitive target in the first match between the sides and saw the hosts ease in by seven wickets.

But, with lesson learned in the second match, Herefordshire romped home by a similar margin in the second of the games between the sides to maintain their hopes of progressing to finals day.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat in the first game, Herefordshire openers Matt Pardoe and Peter Burgoyne quickly had 21 on the board.

But both fell in quick succession and Chris Whittock also departed, brilliantly run out by a direct hit by Andy Harris.

David Ball (31) battled hard to repair the damage but Herefordshire were often the architects of their own downfall, failing to put pressure on the fielders whom they unerringly picked out when hitting the ball in the air.

Barney Morgan cracked two big sixes in his 25 but Herefordshire limped to 113-8 from their 20 overs.

Morgan, who returned a creditable 1-19 from his four overs, and Ball (1-19) made a couple of early breakthroughs in the Bucks reply and hopes were raised again when wicketkeeper Ian Bullock made good ground and held his nerve to pouch a steepling catch from George Russell off Jack Taylor (1-15).

But that was to prove the final wicket as Dan Marles (50 not out) guided the hosts home.

After winning the toss in the second game, Buckinghamshire made a good start and had 58 on the board before the first wicket fell.

But with Herefordshire upping their game with the ball and in the field, the hosts failed to capitalise.

Tom Hage (2-15) picked up a couple of wickets before Jamie McIlroy pulled off a stupendous diving catch at long-on to hand Morgan (1-18) another wicket.

"I thought it was over my head to start with - the landing was a bit painful but it stuck in one mitt so it was good," said the Brockhampton seamer.

Burgoyne's off-spin then teased out three wickets in an over as he finished with 4-25 to restrict the hosts to 147-9.

Burgoyne the batsman then joined forces with skipper Pardoe to establish the base for the successful response.

Both combined sensible picking off of singles with some big hitting before Pardoe chose the aerial route once too often and holed out for 41, including four sixes and two fours, from 26 balls.

Burgoyne batted serenely on, however, passing the half-century mark in his way to 72, from just 44 balls with four sixes and six fours.

"It was good to be able to score a few runs and contribute to the team, and to take a few wickets as well," said Burgoyne. "But there were a few players out there today who did really well. There were a couple of great catches - one by Jamie McIlroy - and it's all put us in really good stead to get to finals day."

After Burgoyne was dismissed, Whittock (14) also followed him back to the pavilion but teenager Jamie Harrison came in to clout a six and a four to help Ball to round off a fine win.