ARNO Botha's maiden century for the club boosted spirits at Pershore on Sunday following a heavy County League defeat the previous day.

Skipper Lee Wilks opted to take first knock against Old Elizabethans in a home Worce-stershire Clubs League clash and, when both openers departed with only 14 runs on the board, he must have regretted the decision.

However, having been joined by the South African, the pair added 149 in 32 overs as the Birmingham Leaguers had little answer to some intelligent running.

Wilks was finally out for 83 but Paul Bozward helped Botha add a further 45 runs as the hosts closed on 209-4 after the latter perished for exactly 100.

Botha and Wilks then completed tremendous all-round efforts with the captain's nine overs costing the same number of runs and Botha taking three wickets as OEs closed on 182-7.

Pershore's poor Saturday form continued when visitors Ombersley dismissed a weakened side for 128.

There were six players under 19 in the eleven and only Liam Ridings (34) and Phil Oxley (40) made any impression with the bat as former Worcester-shire bowler Duncan Catterall cleaned up a youthful tail for figures of 5-38.

Catterall, who plays for Shropshire, went on to smash the Herefordshire attack for 162 in Tuesday's Minor Counties Championship clash at Luctonians.

The teenage opening attack of Botha and Luke Dalley struck an early blow but that was Pershore's sole reward in a nine-wicket reverse as Catterall helped himself to an undefeated 68.

It was much the same sorry story in the second team fixture as Ombersley emerged six-wicket winners.

A stand of 44 between Les Wild and 13-year-old Chris Ridings and a late rally from 15-year-old Mike Doust and Steve Andrews lifted Pershore's score to 190 but it didn't prove enough as a couple of dropped catches hindered hopes of an improbable away triumph.