WINTERBOURNE batsmen Jamie Harvey and Manny Gurung each scored centuries to help their side to victory in a rain-affected match at Bashley.

Winterbourne won the toss and batted first but opener Matt Windows was out in the sixth over when he chipped a simple catch to mid-off for eight.

Craig Johnson joined Harvey and the pair put on 131, despite a 30-minute break for rain, but shortly after the resumption, Johnson was run out for 41.

The in-form Gurung was now at the crease with Winterbourne knowing they needed at least 300 on the board now that the match was rain affected. He immediately smashed the ball to all parts of the ground as Winterbourne upped the run rate and were 193-2 off 29 overs befor rain forced another interruption.

This was more persistent, but the Bashley captain agreed to use part of the break to have tea, as time was running out to get the required number of overs in. Just as it looked to all be over, the rain stopped and a stronger breeze helped dry the ground. Right on the final minute, the players returned to the field knowing that any further interruptions would signal the end of the game.

With Harvey resuming on 85, he quickly notched up his first 100 of the season before being caught shortly after at cover for 110. Vaughn Browne joined Gurung who by this stage was playing some phenomenal shots, smashing boundary after boundary to race to 99 with one over to go.

With Browne on strike it was looking like Gurung may miss out on his 100, but with three balls to go he smashed another four to end a brilliant innings unbeaten on 103. Browne was 23 not out and Winterbourne closed on 324 for 3.

With Bashley’s innings reduced to the minimum of 20 overs, the adjusted score for victory was 194.

In slippery conditions, Winterbourne opened with the slower bowlers of Chris Breeze and Ed Dadd, and immediately it was clear that the team’s recent inability to catch was back with a vengeance. Catch after catch went down but Breeze then bowled Wedge with a beauty to leave Bashley on 9 for 1. He took another wicket in his next over as Taylor was caught for 5, but then Bashley started to make some inroads into their target and put on 45 runs before dangerman Ransom was caught by Malcolm Griffiths for 38.

Joe Cunningham and Tom Richardson were brought on to replace the opening bowlers, but in far from ideal bowling conditions, the pair initially failed to make any breakthroughs and suddenly Bashley were getting closer and closer to their target. At 104 off 15 overs they still required an unlikely 18 an over but Cunningham bowled skipper Darren Britton for 31 and then had Laurent stumped for 21 a few balls later to effectively end all hopes. Bashley didn’t give up though and some late hitting saw them end a well-fought chase on 149 for 5.