WORCESTERSHIRE rewrote the record books when they defeated their Warwickshire counterparts by 54 runs in a Second Eleven Trophy match at Olton.

The County registered their highest ever score in the 50 over competition as they amassed 395-7 after being put into bat.

It surpassed their previous highest Trophy total of 378-6 against MCC Young Cricketers at Bromsgrove last season.

Alexei Kervezee and Alex Hepburn both scored centuries and there was 82 from opener Richard Oliver who was a late addition to the side originally selected.

Oliver and Kervezee added 135 for the second wicket in 14 overs before the latter, who hit 13 fours and a six in his 65-ball knock, was dismissed.

Kervezee put on 99 in 12 overs with Hepburn and in total made 102 from 73 balls with 10 fours and five sixes.

Hepburn went on to complete his fourth hundred of the summer for the Seconds before he was bowled by Recordo Gordon for 101 from 86 deliveries with nine fours and three sixes.

George Rhodes (45) helped him add 93 in 12 overs.

Warwickshire also scored freely on a flat pitch but never seriously threatened to overhaul Worcestershire’s formidable total.

Chris Russell finished with 3-68 and, in the context of the game, Josh Tongue (0- 24 in six overs) and Graeme Whiles (0-33 in seven overs) bowled economically as Warwickshire closed on 341-8.

Worcestershire thus ended their Trophy campaign with seven points from six matches courtesy of three wins, two losses and one wash-out.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire president Lord Mervyn King has paid tribute to the Steve Rhodes-Daryl Mitchell combination in the county’s 150th Anniversary Year.

Lord King has praised the “depth of knowledge” of Rhodes and likens skipper Mitchell to Don Kenyon who captained Worcestershire to their 1964 and 1965 County Championship triumphs.

But he stressed the need to recognise that building a successful team is a long-term job as demonstrated with the way the 1964 and 1965 sides were put together over many years before coming to fruition.