A HURRICANE century from prolific Newent opening batsman Richard Henry sent Fairford crashing to their fourth Division One defeat in five outings in a decisive Readers Gloucestershire County League setback at Park Street on Saturday.

Brittle middle order batting one again led to Fairford's downfall as they tumbled from 140-3 to 159 all out, having been put in to bat on a damp pitch.

But their bowlers suffered equally badly as Henry took them to task in explosive fashion after tea, slamming ten fours and six sixes in a virtuoso unbeaten 106 to see the visitors home by seven wickets in just 25 overs.

Henry gave just one chance in a superb display of clean hitting, but Fairford had only themselves to blame for failing to set a more challenging total after making a promising start to their innings.

Captain for the day Clive Gray and Mark Leadbeater gave the home side an ideal start, adding 59 in good time for the first wicket before Gray was bowled for 20 by Fabian. Adrian Newport soon followed, mistiming an attempted pull off spinner Gayther.

When Leadbeater was bowled attempting a big hit for a solid 32, the inning appeared to be losing momentum at 84-3, until the arrival at the crease of Mark Greener soon restored the initiative in Fairford's favour.

After getting off the mark with a typically powerful six, Greener then hit three more in quick succession and had rattled up a rapid 45 before attempting one big hit too many and losing his leg stump to Gayther.

Sadly, his departure signalled the onset of a dramatic collapse, four more wickets falling for as many runs as the home side slumped to 144-8. With no late-order heroics, the final wicket fell with four balls remaining.

When they took the field, Fairford secured an early wicket when Ed Bird trapped Mortimer leg before for a duck with his fifth delivery, but after that the free-scoring Henry took control.

Dominating a second-wicket stand of 84 with Dee, Henry saw off the medium pace of Bird and Newport and then savaged the Fairford spin attack in blistering fashion.

He smashed five sixes from the same end as Dick Tugwell and Richard Moreing conceded a combined total of 51 from two overs apiece and that brutal assault virtually settled the issue.

Ian Peyman raised momentary hopes of a Fairford revival when he clean bowled Dee and then had Gabb leg before in successive deliveries to reduce Newent to 91-3. But the recovery was all too short-lived.

The impressive 16-year-old Fabian came in to give Henry resolute support as the latter raced to his century with successive boundaries off Newport and Fabian completed a seven-wicket mauling with another as Newent passed the target with a full 20 overs to spare.

Fairford 159 all out (M Greener 45, M Leadbeater 32, C Gray 20, G Clarke 17; M Fabian 4-23, S Gayther 4-37). Newent 163-3 (R Henry 106no, A Dee 27, M Fabian 18no; I Peyman 2-26).