HAVING bagged excellent figures of 6-57 against Colwall in the opening game of the season, Avoncroft's Paul Athey was probably thinking it would take him a while to better that return.

However, the Bromsgrove-based team's skipper had to wait just seven days until his side's next Crusader Worcestershire League Division Three engagement to improve his season's best.

Although opponents Cutnall Green were a little understrength going into the clash, if their players had foreseen the walloping Athey was about to dish out, they probably wouldn't even have bothered turning up.

Avoncroft batted first and posted a solid 283-7 from their 50 overs, David James top-scoring with 77.

Then it was time for Athey to come to the party. The seam bowler, who has played for the Hanbury Road club since he was 13, clean bowled six batsman and had one caught-and-bowled in a devastating display of 7-11 as the entire shell-shocked Cutnall Green team were skittled for just 30.

We have selected Athey's amazing return as the stand-out performance from the weekend and he has scooped our first Cricketer of the Week award of the season, winning himself a £30 Fearnley Factory Shop voucher in the process.

Athey said: "It was just one of those days when everything clicked for me. I tried to bowl quick and straight and put the ball in the right areas.

"I have played against a fair few of the Cutnall Green players over the years, so know some of them quite well.

"There was a little bit of banter flying around during the game - their opening batsman finished on 11 not out and he was just stood at the non-striker's end shaking his head as the wickets kept falling at the other end.

"They were a little bit under-strength, but our batting has been going well all season and four of our top six batsmen got past 40 which allowed us to post a good score."

Athey believes Avoncroft, who are top of their league having won both of their first two games, are now starting to reap the benefits of setting up the club's youth section in the 90s.

He added: "We were struggling for players during the 90s when several members of the first team all finished playing at the same time.

"However, we launched our youth section then and we are now reaping the benefits of that.

"Since starting the youth section, we have moved from Division Five up to Division Two. Obviously we were relegated last season back to Division Three, but we are confident of going straight back up. The club is going from strength to strength."