AFTER being dropped four times while at the crease, Hanley Castle and Upton player Ollie Price got the feeling his luck was in.

It proved to be the case as the all-rounder top-scored with 67 before heaping further misery on Old Elizabethans thirds by claiming 6-31 to set up a 113-run victory.

His heroics in Worcestershire League Division Five gave third-placed Hanley their third 24-point success of the season and kept them in the promotion hunt behind Barnards Green thirds.

“I was very pleased, it’s not the sort of performance that comes along every day,” Price, 17, said. “I was a bit lucky being dropped four times but you have to take your chances.”

The opener, who was run-out by David Harris off the final ball, helped move his side from 42-3 to 224-5 in their 50 overs alongside Grant Mathews (33) and Rich Foley (59 not out).

The fast bowler also took wickets at the start and end of OEs’ reply with spinner Todd Mathews bagging 4-30 in OEs’ 111 all out.

Hanley Castle High School pupil Price said: “We were on 42-3 so it needed a rebuilding job. Grant and I put on 95 which gave us a platform to build on for the last 10 to 15 overs.

“It was a shame I got run-out off the last ball, but Rich did well and I could rotate the strike.

“I prefer to do that and there was no pressure on me to score runs quickly.

“It was a defendable total on that pitch, which was a bit dry and cracked, and we thought our spinner Todd would do some damage.

“I took two wickets in my opening spell and came back to take the tail. It was a decent pitch to bowl on because you always felt there was some bounce in it for you. It’s easily my best figures.

“I need to kick on, keep taking wickets and scoring runs. Now my exams are out of the way, I can focus on my cricket.”

Hanley visit Stourbridge thirds tomorrow, while Barnards Green have a derby at West Malvern (both 1pm).

Green beat Astwood Bank by seven wickets, as James Beswick scored 97, and West lost at leaders Kempsey.