JOSH Emery scored the first hundred by a Ledbury Cricket Club player at their new Orlham Lane ground.

Emery smashed 131 for the first team as he featured in a record club second-wicket stand of 217 with Paddy Merryman.

They got their Marches League Division Two campaign back on track with a comprehensive 230-run thrashing of Luctonians seconds.

Opener Merryman batted through most of the innings for 96, including many trademark straight drives, before falling just short of a maiden league ton.

Emery, in only his fourth innings for the club, married power with textbook grace by hitting fours and sixes all around the wicket, finally holing out to a catch on the boundary.

Ledbury finished on a huge 316-3 which was again a record at the new ground by some distance.

In reply, Lucs lost wickets at regular intervals without any real partnerships forming.

First-team debutants Seb Fell and Liam Kendrick both took their first wickets at the level with the former particularly doing well.

Jamie Turner claimed 4-19 with his leg-spin but the main destroyer of the top order was Vicky Evans.

For the second wicket running Evans took four wickets with control and consistency throughout her 10 overs.

She was rewarded with figures of 4-26 as Lucs succumbed to 86 all out.

Ledbury visit an in-form Woolhope team on Saturday for what promises to be a far sterner test.

The seconds conceded their Division Three game at Knighton-on-Teme and they host Strollers seconds on Saturday.