Painswick’s power-packed batsmen have made a blistering start to the new season.

They’ve been piling up the runs at a rapid rate after former Gloucestershire all-rounder Benny Howell smashed an unbeaten 105 from 72 balls against Hatherley and Reddings on the opening day of the WEPL Premier 2 Glos/Wilts campaign.

That was followed by all-rounders Reece Morris and Greg Ford who hit 143 and 185 not out respectively as Painswick recorded an excellent win double at the weekend.

Morris’ runs came off just 89 balls – he hit 13 fours and 11 sixes – as Painswick chased down Chipping Sodbury’s 262-5 with six wickets and more than 18 overs to spare to record their first Premier 2 Glos/Wilts win of the campaign after the Hatherley game was abandoned because of rain.

Morris, who opened the batting, was at the wicket for two minutes over over two hours, and club chairman Andy Barnard said: “He goes really hard at the start of an innings.

“He’s done that for a couple of years now, before that he batted in the middle order.

“Teams know what he’s going to try to do but it’s very hard to stop him. Sometimes it can go wrong but when it comes off it’s amazing.”

Morris is also the club’s coach and Barnard continued: “What we love about Reece is that he’s from the village and lives in the village. He’s everything you want in a clubman.”

And his medium pace bowling is pretty useful, too, because he took 1-17 from eight overs against Chipping Sodbury after coming on first change.

“He came on when they were going really well,” added Barnard. “He changes his pace, he’s got a bit of variety. He changed the momentum of the innings.”

Ford, the club’s South African overseas player, was just as impressive in the club’s four-wicket County Cup win over Downend 24 hours later.

Batting at five, he was in early after a flurry of early wickets but he changed the game with a remarkable innings that saw Painswick overhaul Downend’s 322-9 in 40 overs with four wickets and 16 balls remaining.

“He came to us as a bowler, someone who bats in the middle or lower order,” said Barnard. “But he’s worked really hard at his batting.

“He’s aggressive from ball one and he just went ballistic, it was brilliant to watch.”

And he plays a lot of good cricket shots.

“He looks very classical,” continued Barnard. “He’s strong in the V and through the covers but he also picks up anything short.

“He’s going to be a very special player, we’re lucky to have him.”

His bowling was pretty impressive, too, taking 3-36 in eight overs after taking the new ball.

A trip to Purton in Premier 2 Glos/Wilts on Saturday is next up for Painswick and Barnard is hoping for more of the same from his players.

“We back ourselves to go hard,” he said. “We play attractive cricket, we’re very pleased.”