TONY Hutchings will be hoping to produce another sparkling spell for Hanley Castle and Upton when they take on Alveley at The Glebe on Saturday (1pm).

The veteran seamer took four wickets in four balls, including a hat-trick, to finish with 6-20 in Hanley’s opening-day victory over Tenbury in Worcestershire Cricket League Division Four.

Home captain Zack Yarranton won the toss and elected to bat first on a good early-season pitch under clear skies.

But Kier Sellars was brilliantly caught and bowled by Barton Mathews and Andrew Adams was bowled by Ollie Price as the home side stuttered early on.

After Tom Rawlings was run out, Tenbury were struggling on 34-3.

But powerful driving from Paul Higgins and careful play from Tom Pugh coupled with a period of wayward Hanley bowling meant that when drinks came around, the score stood at 107-3 for Tenbury.

Price broke the key partnership by trapping Higgins LBW for 34 in his second over.

Soon after that the wickets began to tumble as Hutchings produced one of the great spells of his career, first rearranging Pugh’s stumps for a well-made 46, then having Pearson caught by Rory Mathews before an incredible four-ball passage of play.

Hutchings had Thompson caught by Harry Tippell, Zack Yarranton trapped LBW, and then firing out both Jack and Rob Farrar in successive balls to wrap up the Tenbury innings in some style on 147.

The Hanley reply got off to a nervous start, with Will Chambers (11) and Price (3) dismissed in the same over to Yarranton.

Rory and Barton Mathews steadied the ship, scoring steadily at first but gradually starting to dominate the bowling.

Both batsmen were scoring freely, when – with the score at 81-3 – Rory Mathews was bowled by Rob Farrar for 43.

A traditional Hanley middle-order collapse followed, losing three wickets for two runs.

Rory’s brother Barton was the first man to go, for a solid 33, bowled by Jack Farrar.

Chris Duckworth came and went for three, and Nick Bentley was bowled without troubling the scorers, to leave Hanley in the precarious position of 101-6.

But Charlie Tippell and Matt Pratley stabilised the innings and then put the game to bed as they both finished on 28 not out to seal a comfortable win.