IT was a family affair as a 160-run partnership between cricketing brothers Josh and Ben Element helped Ross 1st XI to an emphatic 158-run over visitors Dales on Saturday.

Having suffered a heavy defeat the previous week at Kington, Ross bounced back in style, setting a target of 262-3 off 45 overs before dismissing their opponents for 104.

Josh joined Ben at the crease with the score on 66-2, and they took it to 226 before the latter holed out for a 61 that included eight fours.

His brother needed another 13 to make his century, but just ran out of time, finishing unbeaten on 97 after a 94-ball innings that saw 17 fours.

Openers Paul Franklin (24) and Graham Howls (22) also contributed, while Alexander Springer finished 15 not out.

Chloe Tingle and Springer made immediate inroads into the Dales reply, dismissing both openers for ducks, with the latter going on to take six wickets for 18 runs off 7.4 overs, four of them for no score.

And with Dales quickly reduced to 24-5 and then 65-7, there was no way back, with Ross polishing them off in the 27th over, and Tingle taking 1-6-6 and Will Brookes 2-30-5.

The cricket boot was on the other foot in the 2nds match at Dales however, the hosts setting a target of 198-3 off 40 overs, before Ross finished on 82-7.

Aston Ingham 1sts beat Cirencester by 19 runs at Stockings Field, restricting them to 220-9 off 45 overs after setting a target of 239-7.

Anthony James fired 76 not out, including seven fours and six sixes, backed by Oliver Henson (34), Dharzekanth Yoganadan (34), Angus Bartlett (25) and skipper James Wagstaff (24 not out), before James and Bartlett took three wickets apiece and Toby O'Neill snared two.

The 2nds were always in control away to Ullenwood Bharat 2nds, chasing down 190-6 off 40 overs for just the loss of one wicket.

Openers Jimmy Davies with 80 not out and Tim Dulson, who hit 13 fours in his 79, shared a match-winning partnership before Aston reached 191-1 with 4.4 overs to spare, Simon Clark having earlier taken three wickets and Luke Ward two.

Redmarley 2nds secured derby bragging rights over Aston 3rds at Playley Green, Sam Lane dismissed just two short of a ton as the hosts racked up 198-6 in 40 overs.

Aston had eight wickets in hand passing the 100-mark, but couldn't score quickly enough, finishing on 163-2 with Gwyn Evans hitting 48 and Mark Mathias 56 not out.

But the 4ths won by eight wickets at home to Parkend 2nds, racing to 105-2 in 19.1 overs after dismissing the visitors for 103 in the 31st over.

Goodrich 1st XI won by six wickets at home to Kington, Chris Tookey firing an unbeaten 81 as they chased down the visitors’ 183-9, comfortably reaching 188-4 with 10 overs to spare, Matt Young having earlier taken four wickets and Joe Provis two.

And Aryton Lowther fired a magnificent 171 not out off 89 balls, including 12 sixes and 15 fours, as the 2nds won by 87 runs at Kington.

Colin Walker had the best seat in the house scoring an unbeaten 52 at the other end, as Goodrich reached 291-1 off 40 overs before dismissing the hosts for 204 in the 38th over, Meg Jones, Adam Kibble, Liam Williams and Matt Davies taking two wickets apiece.