A blistering innings of 176 from Tim Shelley helped Hethersett & Tas Valley get back to winning ways as they beat Beccles by 89 runs to return to the top of Norfolk Division One.

A blistering innings of 176 from Tim Shelley helped Hethersett & Tas Valley get back to winning ways as they beat Beccles by 89 runs to return to the top of Norfolk Division One.

This week Hethersett and Tas Valley firsts have a tough game when they visit Bungay. The Seconds are home to Bradfield and the Thirds visit North Elmham.

Shelley (pictured) and skipper Matt Ellis put on a record 281 for the third wicket as Hethersett recovered from a disastrous start against Beccles.

Openers Carl Puttock and Richard Ellis Jnr were dismissed for one apiece as the home side slumped to 3-2 after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Shelley and Ellis soon set about the Beccles bowlers with Ellis playing the support role as the Hethersett number four smashed 24 fours and five sixes in one of the best innings seen at the Flordon ground.

Shelley even survived a nasty blow to the head before being bowled just 24 runs short of a double century.

By that time the duo had taken Hethersett to a massive 284-3. Ellis continued in partnership with Nick Burrett to add a further 25 runs, ending on 79 not out in a massive Valley score of 309-3 from their 45 overs.

Beccles decided early on that the total was beyond them and set about batting for their full 45 overs - something they achieved for the loss of eight wickets thanks to a mixture of solid defence and belligerence late on.

Hethersett dropped a point through being unable to finish off the Beccles tail.

Assad Abbas, Matt Steward and Phil Walmsley all took two wickets as Beccles ended on 220-8.

It was a highly successful day for Hethersett, however, as news came through that table-topping Old Buckenham had been defeated, allowing Hethersett to leapfrog them into top place.