ALCESTER and Ragley ended a troubled summer on something of a high with wins for both sides and a magnificent batting display from Paul Hedges and Andy Haines.

The pair shared an unbroken stand of 293 for the third wicket at Twyning - believed to be a club record for second team cricket - in what turned out to be a total annihilation of a depleted home side.

Things didn't look too good when Alcester were invited to bat first in the final Division Three match that would determine who would play in Division Four of the restructured Cotswold League next summer.

The visitors lost two quick wickets but Hedges and Haines ensured no further setbacks as they blasted Alcester to a mammoth 301-2 in 45 overs. Haines finished unbeaten on 151 with his partner not far behind on 141 not out.

Twyning, reduced to nine fit batsmen because of injury, were dismissed for 114 with Julian Reader taking 3-31 as the winners took the runners-up spot behind Overbury.

There was further good news for the club as the senior side recorded a double over Broadway although victory couldn't sane the side's top flight status.

Shaun Quirke again proved the catalyst for success, firstly with the ball and then with a typically robust century.

Skipper Mark Fawthrop asked Broadway to bat and, after a steady start, wickets started to tumble late in the innings. Quirke (4-19) helped polish off the tail as only captain Andy Beale with 58 showed any real resistance in a total of 172.

Quirke and Mark Woolley shared a half-century opening stand in reply and it was left to the former to bolster the innings until he departed for 108 with victory just a few runs away.

Fawthrop hit the winning runs but Alcester's fourth win of the season wasn't enough to lift them out of the bottom two.