PERSHORE entertained Division One high flyers Kington in the Worcester-shire County League at The Bottoms on Saturday in a match that was ultimately decided by two individual batting performances.

Pershore, fielding a depleted side, won the toss and stand in skipper Lee Wilks invited Kington to bat on a good looking wicket.

The whole innings was built around opener Clive Scott who controlled the situation up to the 44th over when he was bowled for an impressive 94.

Of the remaining visiting batsmen, only Ed Price (27) gave any real support and the Kington innings closed on 194 from their allotted 50 overs when Pershore may well have expected to chase a smaller total had a number of chances been held in the deep.

Martin Johnson again was the pick of the bowlers with 6-85 from a mammoth 25- over stint.

The hosts needed a major individual performance to have any chance of winning the game and Lee Wilks attempted to fulfil this role but he received little support, and when he was dismissed for 64 in the 31st over a victory for Kington looked on the cards.

A fighting rearguard action, however, by Mark Stevens, Paul Bozward and Alex Longhi enabled the home side to hold out for a well deserved draw.

Bozward and Longhi batted through the last 14 overs defying everything the Kington attack could throw at them.

The second string extended their unbeaten record when they defeated league leaders Kington by four wickets.

An excellent performance in the field saw the hosts dismissed for 108 with Alan Davies taking 5-29 and youngsters Ben Bales and Luke Eversham to the fore.

Two cheap wickets were lost but Pershore's reply was turned round courtesy of an attacking knock from Rob Handley who hit 46.

He received solid support from Davies before Steve Meers continued his good form with the bat with an unbeaten 31 to steer the visitors to victory.