LUCTONIANS made light work of visitors Kington as they crushed their local rivals with a 106-run victory in their opening encounter in the Worcestershire County League Division 1.

Steve Williams led the way with 53 and good support from Karl Pearson (41), Dave Price (22) and Mike Scott (21) helped the home side to 190-7, despite 4-79 from Kevin Gwynne.

In reply, Kington's batsmen never really got into their stride and, with no-one scoring over 20, they were skittled out for 84.

Craig Doncon, a 24-year-old Australian import, removed the top three and ended with 3-21, while spinners Jamie Layden (3-9) and Glyn Norman (3-19) hastened a middle-order and tail collapse.

Hereford had a bad start to their campaign in the Gloucestershire & Wiltshire Division 1 of the West of England Clubs Championship and were comfortably despatched at Gloucester City by 128 runs.

Gloucester piled on 268-8 in their 50 overs, with opener C Lee (85) and hard-hitting M Collinson (78) providing the mainstay of their innings.

Hereford's overseas player, West Indian all-rounder Antonio Meyers, took 3-64 off 14 overs in his debut, while Phil Hunt and Adam Herbert each grabbed a brace of wickets.

Opening batsman Pete Butler fell without scoring in reply, although the visitors were going well before David Scott went for 22.

Dave Kings struck a promising 32 and Meyers weighed in with 19, but both were sent back to the pavilion in quick succession and J Newton's 6-45 ensured that Hereford fell well short at 140 all out.

Shobdon made a winning debut in Division 2 of the Flint & Cook Marches League with a 16-run triumph at home to Leominster.

Last year's champions in Division 1 of the Hereford Times Hereford and District League managed 125 all out, with an unbeaten 53 from George Rees the focus of their innings.

Steve Cole took 3-22 and Duncan Trumper claimed 3-28 but the target proved too large for the visitors.

Six wickets for Paul Davies at the expense of just 20 runs tore Leominster apart and, despite 29 on his debut from Duncan Fletcher, they were dismissed for 109.

D Roberts was the star in the Hereford Times League as his figures of 6-19 for Weobley in Division 2 knocked over Lucton-ians 3rd for 26.