Young Henry Driver-Dickerson played the best innings of his career as Hatherley and Reddings beat Corsham by five runs in a thriller.

The 18-year-old opening batsman smashed 110 from 43 balls but even that only tells part of the story because he hit an incredible 10 fours and 11 sixes.

“I also scored four singles,” the left-hander said as he reflected on his first century in adult cricket.

When he fell off the penultimate ball of the 15^th over, he had been at the wicket for just 61 minutes and had carried the Hatherley score along at a great rate to 145.

He actually scored all his runs from the last 38 balls he faced because the first five deliveries he faced were dot balls.

“What was I thinking?” he laughed. “I should have gone for it from the first ball!”

Driver-Dickerson, who has been with the club since he was 11, launched his assault on the home bowlers in the third over, hitting Sam Wiles for two sixes and three fours.

“My first four was a bit shaky, it was short and wide and I slashed it over point. But I then hit a six over extra cover and I thought, ‘This is either going to come off or I’m going to get out’.”

Happily for Hatherley it came off as the WEPL Premier 2 Glos/Wilts leaders made 346-9 in their 50 overs.

“I hit quite a few sixes straight and quite a few over extra cover,” continued Driver-Dickerson, who is a student at Hartpury.

“It was quite a flat wicket and I was able to get down the wicket to the bowlers, my game is to attack.”

He was given good support by Noah Bennett, his opening partner, who made 74.

He is a year younger than Driver-Dickerson, who said: “He batted so well, his knock was so important for us.”

Just how important soon became apparent as Corsham reached 241-3 in the 35^th over and then 299-5 in the 42^nd over.

That 42^nd over was the turning point, however, with Driver-Dickerson saying: “Max Kelly tempted their overseas [Alex Lee-Young] with a loopy one, we were all over them after that.”

Off-spinner Kelly claimed 5-63 but it was skipper Tom Hage who secured victory with two wickets in the final over, the last one from the penultimate ball of the game.

“He’s great for us, it’s the second week in a row that he’s won the game for us in the last over,”  Driver-Dickerson said.

Hatherley host Goatacre, who are still looking for their first league win of the campaign, on Saturday and Driver-Dickerson continued: “We’re flying at the moment, we’ve just got to keep it going.”