Jesse Carrington plundered 156 to put Sheepscombe on course for a high-scoring home win over Painswick 2nds on the opening day of the Bank House Gloucestershire County League season.

Tom Mahendran weighed in with an unbeaten 78 as Sheepscombe piled up 375-4 from their 45 overs in this Division Five clash.

Painswick made a brave attempt at their imposing target, eventually being dismissed for 260 with opener Phil Higgins (85) top scoring as Mahendran and Sam Horder claimed three victims apiece before Carrington had the last word, wrapping up a day to remember with the final wicket of the day.

St Stephens also clinched an emphatic win, overwhelming Apperley 2nds by nine wickets.

Ken Panter led the charge with the ball, returning 5-50 as the home side were bowled out for 172 ahead of Saints storming to the points with half centuries from opener Neil White and Paul Evans.

Haresfield Gladiators trumped Stroud 2nds by 127 runs, but it was closer at King’s Stanley where opener Jon Ablett’s unbeaten 117 helped Minchinhampton clinch an 18-run win.

Harry Puffitt (5-24 from nine) and Tom Stevens (77), meanwhile, shone in Langford’s five-wicket success at Tewkesbury 2nds.

In Division One, Mike Alley starred by taking 5-25 and following up with an unbeaten 60 for Redmarley, seven-wicket victors at Gloucester AIW Sports.

Gavin White’s unbeaten 86 guided Kingsholm to a seven-wicket success at Charlton Kings while Ian Nice bagged 3-32 from nine in Westbury-on-Severn’s 123-run win at Cranham.

Josh Dowd’s fine spell of 4-22 from nine was in vain for Woodmancote who succumbed by 58 runs at Lydney, and David Boon (63) top scored in Painswick’s four-wicket home triumph over Cheltenham 2nds.

Opener David ‘Wally’ Hammond smashed 132 off 118 balls (13 fours, three sixes) for Thornbury 2nds but still finished on the losing side as Hatherley & Reddings 2nds chased down a target of 264 for a four-wicket victory in Division Two, Alfie Gilbert unbeaten on 53 from 34 balls.

Ben Holloway (4-44 from nine) put Cam on course for a six-wicket triumph at Chipping Sodbury 2nds while three wickets apiece for Mark Roberts and Mark House saw Cinderford St John to a 72-run win at home to Poulton.

Opener James Westhead (88 not) was the hero as Tetbury trumped Oldlands by six wickets while Shane Trigg (6-25 from 8.2 overs) produced one of the spells of the day for Gloucester City Winget who eased in by five wickets at Stone.

Syed Habib-Ur-Rehman smashed 134 in Division Three for Ullenwood Bharat who totalled 247-8 away to Rockhampton 2nds for whom Chris Pearce captured 5-25 ahead of opener Harry Collins hitting 98 in a seven-wicket success sealed with three balls to spare.

Matt Tuck was out for 99 and Ali Bray hit 88 for Frocester 3rds, 138-run home victors against Frampton-on-Severn, and Mike Duester grabbed 4-8 from six overs in Great Rissington’s seven-wicket win at home to Lydney 2nds.

Tom Benfield bowled Woodpeckers to a 24-run victory at Newent with a haul of 5-51 – hitting the stumps four times – while it was a day to remember for Tom Radcliffe who returned 4-61 after hammering 96 from 99 balls (12 fours, three sixes).

Sam Jacques’ return of 4-59 from nine included a hat-trick, paving the way for Slaughters United’s four-wicket win at home to Shurdington as opener Andy Phillips also had a fine afternoon with 105 from 117 balls (15 fours, three sixes).

Skipper Jeremy Westwood (121 not) was another centurion, this time in Division Four where he also took 4-47 from eight for Hawkesbury Upton who overcame Fairford by eight wickets.

And 106 from Ed Bragg helped Dumbleton 2nds romp in by eight wickets chasing 253 at home to Dymock.

In Division Six, opener Chris Miles (151) and Jack Stevens (101) shared an unbroken second wicket partnership of 280 for Chedworth who piled up 327-1 and then held off Cheltenham 3rds by 93 runs.