STUNNING batting by Paul Lazenbury and Chris Boroughs, followed by some devastating seam bowling from Kevin Cooper saw Herefordshire to a 42-run victory over Cheshire in the final of ECB 38 County Cup at Lord's yesterday.

Lazenbury and Boroughs came together at 47-2 to put Cheshire's attack to flight with a third wicket stand of 203.

Lazenbury compiled a superb century of 118, his fifth of the season for the County, while Boroughs fashioned a masterful 94 as Herefordshire amassed 291-7 off their 50 overs.

Cooper then ripped out the heart of Cheshire's innings with a 5-29 haul from his maximum 10 overs.

It was certainly Herefordshire's finest day since they were formed in 1992 and the first time that they had picked up a winner's trophy.

In 1995 they departed from Lord's disappointed after being beaten in the final of the MCC Trophy by Cambridgeshire.

Only skipper Harshad Patel remains from that side so it was particularly sweet for him to collect the cup from MCC President Tony Lewis.

Patel won the toss and elected to bat but lost his opening partner Rob Hughes (8) with the score at 10.

The captain notched 20 before falling to Chris Finnegan.

After this, the left-handed Lazenbury and righthander Boroughs forged their mammoth partnership, peppering anything loose through the short boundary and into the Mound stand.

Lazenbury plundered six 6s and eight 4s in an innings spanning 130 balls, before he was caught by Finnegan off Stuart Stonenan.

Boroughs laced his 96-ball knock with five 6s and eight 4s before he was eventually bowled by Charlie Lamb.

When Cheshire started their daunting task of needing to strike a run rate of nearly six an over, Herefordshire's opening attack kept them pinned back.

Scotland international seamer James Brinkley (1-27) and Paul Humphries (2-58) never allowed them the runs and it was hard going for Paul Bryson (73) and his second wicket partner, skipper Iain Cockbain (14), as they took the total slowly up to 92.

Cooper, a former Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire player, then entered the frame to devastating the effect.

Cockbain nudged a ball into the safe hands of Ismail Dawood -- the keeper's 40th victim of the season.

With Cooper going on to capture four more wickets, the run rate steepled into double figures.

Richard Hignett (30) and Chris Brown (39 not out), hit some lusty blows in late resistance, but Herefordshire held out to win by a comfortable margin when the Cheshire innings closed at 249-9.

Herefordshire's Chairman, Nick Nenadich, said: "It was a magnificent game & tangible award for a outstanding season."