HEREFORDSHIRE were outplayed with both bat and ball in their opening MCCA KO Trophy at Devizes, with Wiltshire going on to record a 120-run win after posting a huge target of 334-3 in their 50 overs.

Herefordshire were bowled out for 214 with 17 balls remaining.

Herefordshire’s prospects looked good when Andrew Sutton beat the bat twice in a lively opening over of the game, a maiden.

From there, it was all uphill as Wiltshire built a foothold and then battered their way to a huge total.

Thomas Morton (126) and Greg Lamb (93 no) did most of the damage, but it was the fireworks from Michael Coles in the closing overs which pushed the score well beyond 300.

He blasted seven huge sixes in his 70 off just 26 balls, placing the neighbouring mini-rugby competition and bordering tennis players, in some danger.

Eight Herefordshire batsmen reached double figures but, with the exception of Huw Jones, who struck five sixes in his 55-ball half-century, none of them got on top of the more potent home attack, leaving defeat the inevitable outcome.

The highlights for Herefordshire were limited, with a couple of wickets for Stuart Wedge and a run out from Henry Langford accounting for the three wickets to fall. Debutant left-arm spinner Oliver Griffiths bowled steadily and then clobbered two huge sixes at the end of the innings.