STROLLERS maintained their winning record for the season with a home Marches League division five win over Herefordians.

STROLLERS V HEREFORDIANS

The Ross Road side were put into bat on their damp wicket and responded well with the first 200-plus score at this ground.

Martin Skirrow and Richard Lerego gave them a solid start with a 57 partnership. When the second wicket fell on 110 with only 11 overs remaining, 175 looked like a good score. Lerego started to accelerate the run rate before he fell for 61, including six 4s. Mark Powell and James Powell then hit a 56 partnership in seven overs. The innings ended in a flurry of runs as Mark Powell hit 20 off the final over to finish on 59no (five 4s, three 6s). Thomas took all the wickets for the visitors to earn figures of 4-50 from his 12 overs.

Herefordians struggled to keep up with the required run rate and failed to build any partnerships early on. James Powell took the first three wickets, including a cracking delivery to remove opener David Price. When the captain Thomas fell to a good catch by Mark Powell, the away side decided to hold out for the draw.

C Griffiths batted well for 24 (three 4s), but no one else managed to post a score of double figures. Strollers kept changing the attack but the seventh wicket only fell in the 44th over and they couldn't take the last two required to take maximum points.