BEN Ferguson hit a quick-fire half century on his debut for Lydney on the opening day the Gloucestershire Cricket League season

He reached the landmark in 45 balls in the game against Tetbury on Saturday (May 2).

Lydney had just completed their 45-over innings when rain forced the match at the Bob Park Cricket Ground to be abandoned.

In warm sunshine, the home side won the toss and elected to bat.

Jonathan Kear opened the batting alongside Alex Nelmes who went on to post Lydney’s highest score of 65.

The first boundary came in the fourth over when Kear hit Will Golding for four but it had been a slow start with only 10 runs coming off those overs.

Kear added further boundaries in the seventh and eighth overs as Lydney moved on to 27-0.

He hit another boundary with the first delivery of the ninth over but Tetbury made a breakthrough with the fourth ball when Kear went,

Kear was caught on 24 by Chris Job off the bowling of James Job.

He had hit four boundaries off the 29 deliveries he faced.

Nelmes was joined at the crease by wicketkeeper Dafydd Nicholas who went on to score 41.

In his first full over, Nicholas claimed 10 runs, including a four.

Over the next 19 overs, Nelmes and Nicholas added 105 runs for the second wicket.

The partnership ended with the last ball of the 29th over when Nelmes was caught and bowled by Tom Horrell to make it 138-2.

Nelmes had faced 74 deliveries and scored 65 including seven fours.

Ferguson replaced Nelmes but the partnership with Nicholls was short-lived.

Nicholls went to the second ball of the 31st over when he was caught by Jacob Flowers off the bowling of Horrell.

His 41 came off 75 balls and including four boundaries and his dismissal left Lydney at 141-3.

His replacement, Ross Lindsay, added another four runs off the penultimate ball of the over.

Lindsay and Ferguson put on 27 runs for the third wicket before Lindsay was caught and bowled for eight by Horrell.

Lydney were 168-4 two deliveries into the 37th over and Lindsay was replaced by Jack Knox.

With eight overs left, the home side upped the run rate, adding another 57 runs to the close of the innings.

Seventeen runs came off the 41st over with Ferguson claiming four off the first delivery which was declared a no ball.

He got a boundary and a single later in the over while Knox hit a four along with a single and a leg bye.

Knox was run out in the next over for 13 off 17 balls.

Ferguson reached his 50 with a single off the second ball of the 44th over.

Two deliveries later Jake Bonser was caught and bowled to put Lydney on 221-6.

Ferguson went leg before to James Job with two balls to go.

Ed Jones, who replaced him, did not score while captain Jack O’Connell was four not out in a total of 225-7.

Lydney picked up 11 points.

The club’s second team won at Parkend in Division 6A of the county league.

Parkend were put into bat and were bowled out for 95 in 29.2 overs.

Lydney scored 99 in 13.4 overs for the loss of two wickets.