Cricketing twins Ben and Josh Element both scored 50s as Ross 1st XI secured their biggest win of the season to date at Hay-on-Wye.

The five-wicket triumph means Ross are second in Marches Division 2 just six points behind leaders Almeley, who they host a week on Saturday (August 20).

Ross won the toss and put Hay in, but despite a good opening spell from Chloe Tingle and Tony Laws, Luke Bowen raced to a rapid 36 within the first seven overs.

But Chloe then enticed the opener into offering a catch to Angus McIntyre and went on to concede only six runs in her next six overs.

Jack Donovan then picked up two quick wickets leaving Hay at 64-3.

But Gareth Grant and John Sly then put on an 80-run partnership in only 12 overs before the latter was bowled by Donovan for 56.

With wickets starting to tumble at the other end, Grant chipped away until he finally fell for a well-made 72 holing out to Donovan off a Ben Element delivery.

Ross then only conceded nine runs in the last six overs to limit Hay to 213-9 in 45 overs.

Donovan returned figures of 3-50 off 10 overs and Ben Element 3-29 off six, while Tingle, Tony Laws and Josh Element each took a wicket apiece.

In reply, Stu Mair was bowled first for 14 (29-1), while McIntyre added 22 before going lbw and Donovan a quick-fire 20 before holing out.

Graham Howls was then dismissed for a duck, leaving the Ross innings at 97 with half the overs bowled.

Then came the game-changing partnership, Josh Element joining his twin Ben at the crease, who steadily took the total to 185 with 5.5 overs left, having both reached their 50s within moments of each other.

Josh was then caught and bowled for 52 by Hay captain Mark Burgess, to be replaced by Tom Edwards, who notched a single and then first ball next over smacked Grant into the cemetery for six, followed immediately by two fours, a six, and another four for 24.

And when he next had the strike, he despatched the first ball he faced for four to win the game, making it 29 not out off just eight balls, with Ben Element not out 57.

The 2nds also won by four wickets in Division 3, dismissing Kington 2nds for 123 in 32 overs, before reaching 126-6 in 34 overs.

Alexander Springer took four Kington wickets, Will Brookes three and Dee Springer two, while the latter top-scored with 34 not out, backed by Alex Springer with an unbeaten 22.

Chris Tookey with 88 helped Goodrich go back top of Division 1 as they amassed a giant 304-6 off their 45 overs away to Kington 1sts, Jack Waldis with 46, Harry Porter with 32 and Jack Lewis with an unbeaten 31 also in the runs.

Goodrich then dismissed the hosts for 168 in 31.3 overs, Lewis taking a superb 6-41 off 7.3 overs, backed by Joe Provis with 4-47 off 10.

With Canon Frome, who narrowly beat Goodrich the previous Saturday, losing at Builth Wells, the Wyeside team reclaimed top spot with three games to play.

In the same division, Ethan Lerego took two wickets and scored 88 runs for Fownhope Strollers 1st XI, but hosts Garnons took the major share of the points, scoring 351-6 off their 45 overs compared to 214-9.

Jonny Powell also took three wickets for ninth-placed Strollers and scored 44 runs.

The 2nds lost out in Division 3 by 117 runs at home to Bartestree & Lugwardine 3rds, who set a target of 211 all out off their 40 overs before dismissing the hosts for 94 in 27 overs.

Woolhope 2nds won in the same division though, Matt Taylor scoring 64 backed by Matthew Windley with 33 and Andrew Williams with 22 as they scored 157-3 in 25 overs in reply to 156-9 off 40 overs.

Windley also took three wickets, and there were also wicket braces for George Griffin, George Daly and Richard Watts, with the win leaving Woolhope third.