HALES got their debut season in Alliance Division Two off to a flier as they bagged maximum points at Postwick against Dereham.Hales were asked to bat and quickly made a positive start with Jones taking the opener's slot with Andersen and Harmer slotting into the No 3 position.

HALES got their debut season in Alliance Division Two off to a flier as they bagged maximum points at Postwick against Dereham.

Hales were asked to bat and quickly made a positive start with Jones taking the opener's slot with Andersen and Harmer slotting into the No 3 position.

Jones and Andersen took the total to 37 from nine overs before Jones was caught behind off Fletcher. Harmer and Andersen resumed a familiar partnership and again posted a century stand. Andersen was in sparkling form as he drove on the up through cover and point with the bowlers having no answer to his stroke play.

Harmer took an immediate offensive straight down the ground as he quickly made his presence felt, with the Dereham attack looking demoralised. Andersen and Harmer dominated the bowling and laid the foundation for the Hales innings with an excellent partnership of 137 until Andersen was unlucky to be caught on the boundary, off a sweetly-timed shot, for 76.

With 170 runs on the board Harmer quickly chased down his hundred and in fitting style Harmer reached his century with an enormous six in to a neighbouring field.

Hales eventually declared on 262-5 after 43 overs with Harmer finishing on 114 not out.

In reply G Squire was in a mean mood with the ball and quickly set about rearranging both the openers' stumps. The Dereham middle order staged a spirited fight back, didn't play for a draw and kept the game alive by playing to score runs and keep up with the run rate.

Anema (39), Hoggett (31) and Cains (31) all made positive contributions until Harmer and Squire accounted for them. Dereham captain Joe Marcewski (67) played an absolute gem of an innings and kept Hales in the game by going for the runs.

G Squire returned for his second spell and claimed two more vital wickets along with Hales new boy Neil Pearce who bowled superbly at the death. Pearce dismissed Marcewski and claimed the final wicket of the game to leave Hales with a 60-run victory.

MP Cornish Ltd MoM: Harmer for a magnificent century and two wickets.