ONE of the city’s keenest sporting rivalries ended in a 234-run victory for Royal Grammar School Worcester First XI over King’s School.

RGS batted first and their top order duly obliged as 56-1 was followed by 129-2 in laying the foundations for a decent score.

Dan Hagger secured his fourth consecutive half-century with 69 runs.

Skipper Tom Williams chipped in with 53 but the King’s bowlers, with 12-year-old Josh Tongue playing a key part, fought back to leave the score on 191-5 with just 10 of the 50 overs remaining.

At this point, all-rounder Ali Pollock came to the wicket and, ably supported by Will French, demolished the bowling to hit 45 not out from just 37 balls, leaving RGS with a respectable 268-6.

The King’s reply stalled right from the start, losing their opener to the first ball of the innings from Pollock.

King’s captain Tom Bird then fell to paceman Alex Dilley and, after five overs, they had collapsed to 15-5.

Pollock took two wickets in the next over and, although the hat-trick ball — a yorker — was brilliantly dug out, it still left his final figures at 5-14.

After a brief stand from the tail-enders, Patrick O’Driscoll sealed the victory for RGS with the final wicket as King’s subsided to 34 all out.