Highgate opener Chris Arul clobbered the Wembley bowling with a century to set up his side’s first Division Two victory of the season.

Arul struck 102 from just 93 balls, an innings that included 14 fours and two sixes, as Highgate racked up a daunting total of 321-8 after being put in to bat at Shepherd’s Cot.

Despite including former England all-rounder Chris Lewis in their side, Wembley were always struggling to get anywhere near the target and eventually succumbed for 234.

Arul was given good support by the rest of the Highgate batsmen, with captain Jake Sharland (14) sharing an opening stand of 58 before he was caught behind off Junayd Azar (1-60).

Will Bowley slammed three sixes in a quickfire knock of 23, but became the first of five victims for Lewis (5-31), who also trapped Sandun Dias (13) leg before.

Matt Holly (24) helped Arul to maintain Highgate’s momentum and the opener went on to pass three figures before he was run out by Chetas Rana at 195-5.

However, any fears that Arul’s dismissal would trigger a collapse proved unfounded as Jonathan Bowley rattled up a swift 32 in partnership with Freddie Barrass (32).

Both eventually departed, bowled by Lewis, but there was still time for Ed Foster to crack 17 from seven balls and Adnan Khalid finished on 18 not out as Highgate posted 321-8 from 45 overs.

Chasing more than seven an over, Wembley suffered an early blow when Prinay Patel (6) fell to Dias (2-49). And, although Amir Mahmood (47) and Ben Pye (29) guided them to 61-1, Foster (1-45) dismissed Mahmood and Jonathan Bowley (2-35) immediately had Sneh Shah caught for a golden duck before removing Rana (19) to leave Wembley in difficulties at 97-4.

Visiting captain Mo Rizvi did his best to turn the game around, blasting 50 from just 35 balls, but Barrass (3-26) pegged Wembley back again by having Pye caught behind.

Barrass followed that up with the scalps of both Rizvi and Lewis (16), and Khalid (1-9) and Holly (1-35) chipped in with a wicket apiece to reduce the visitors to 202-9.

A late flurry from last pair Raz Asghar (18no) and Mark Lewis (14) only delayed the inevitable and Dias wrapped up victory for Highgate, taking the final wicket with 4.1 overs to spare.