NIC Merrin scored an incredible 178 as Aston Ingham crushed Thornbury Seconds by 287 runs.

The Australian’s team-mate, Anthony James, also passed the century mark, scoring 109 in the West of England Premier League Gloucestershire Division game at The Stockings.

Aston Ingham won the toss and elected to bat, setting a daunting target of 387-3 in their 50 overs.

They needed just 28.4 overs to end the Thornbury innings for 100 runs.

After missing out on his maiden century for the club a couple of weeks ago, Merrin showed intent from the start.

He took a six and a four from a loose first over that racked up 13 runs.

The first wicket partnership with Oliver Henson was worth 131 runs.

It came to an end when Henson was run out by Om Reddy off the last ball of the 18th over.

He had made 51 runs off 54 balls including seven fours.

That brought James to the crease and the partnership lasted for most of the rest of the innings.

Merrin had hit 24 fours and five sixes when he went to a catch by Rhys Surman off the bowling of Reddy midway through the 44th over and the home side were 332-2.

His 178 came off 143 balls, a strike rate of 124.48 and he had been at the crease eight minutes shy of three hours.

James became the third wicket to fall, going to a catch by Abdul Samad with eight deliveries left.

His 109 came off just 84 balls, a strike rate of 129.76.

The South African had scored 14 fours and a couple of maximums.

Gus Carini Roberts and Dharzekanth Yoganadan saw their side home.

Thornbury were no match for the Aston attack with Toby O’Neill taking four wickets, Sam Didcote three and one each for Jack Carpenter, Anthony James and Angus Bartlett.

Needing to score at nearly eight an over, Thornbury laid themselves open to catches and six of their wickets went to safe hands in the field.

O’Neill claimed the first wicket when Merrin caught Eddie Slade, who had made nine off 10 balls, off the opening delivery of the fourth over to make it 14-1.

The score had moved on to 26 when Didcote got under the ball to dismiss Reddy off the bowling of Carpenter midway through the seventh over.

The third wicket came in the next over as Oliver Nash was caught by Henson for nine off the bowling of O’Neill.

O’Neill then claimed a double wicket maiden in the 12th to make it 49-5.

Carini-Roberts took the catch off the second delivery to dismiss Arshid Mohammed for five.

Three balls later, Merrin took his second catch and Abdul Samad was gone for a duck.

The first Thornbury wicket not to go to a catch came courtesy of Didcote who had Ali Drury lbw with the last ball of the 18th for 70-6.

Six balls later and James had George Ross in the same way for 71-7.

Didcote bowled a wicket maiden with the 24th as Merrin stumped Hugo Slade for 79-8.

He then bowled Josh Newton in the 26th to make it 93-9.

The final went to a catch with Rhys Surman holing out to Henson off the bowling of Barlett on the fourth delivery of the 29th.