The reigning premiers again let their batting do the talking on Saturday after City had posted 7-234.

Scott Brennan and Adam Thurlow were the stars with both bat and ball for Hillgrove.

While Brennan has been one of the competition’s standouts this season, Thurlow was a surprise performer on Saturday.

More renowned for his work with the new ball, Thurlow backed up his two wickets with a brilliant knock of 49 not out to guide Hillgrove to a three-wicket victory.

“Adam had to go to work so I put him out there at number six and let him go for it,” Hillgrove skipper Brad King said of his usual number 11.

“He can hold the bat better than I thought, he hit the ball really cleanly.”

Batting first, City were in trouble early at 2-27, but when opener Brad Smith was joined by Kyle Taylor, the momentum started to shift back in their favour.

By the time Smith fell victim to Brennan for 46, the score had moved on to 3-119 with the pair putting on a 92-run partnership.

Taylor looked on his way to a century until he was bowled by Mitch Moore for 58 to leave City 4-148.

Ruman Hassan [49] and Stephen Butler [21 not out] made handy contributions late to move the score on to 7-234 by the time their allotted over were up.

Even with City’s solid total, King was confident his strong batting line-up would chase it down.

“I thought 234 was a little bit under par,” he said.

“The outfield was quick and the wicket was good.

“After our chase last week I knew this total was more than gettable.”

The chase started in disaster when Matt Schaefer fell to Karl Triebe for a duck in the first over, but Brennan’s classy knock of 58 steadied the ship.

“I sent Scotty Brennan in a three because he’s been batting well and he did again,” King said.

The Hillgrove skipper took the game away from City himself with another whirlwind half-century of 25 balls and Thurlow finished the job.

“I didn’t come in and steady the ship or anything,” King said.

“I hit the ball hard and got away with it.

“That’s how I bat.

“Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t.”

King was delighted to stay unbeaten.

“It was another good win,” King said.

“The boys are going well.”