The recreational cricket season started on Saturday as the recent unpredictable weather pattern disappeared to allow the sun to shine which gave Grounds people the chance to finish off the preparation of the first match pitches of the season in dry conditions.

The first six weeks of the season sees the win/lose match format being contested in the Premier Division to Division Four where the winners pick up twenty points and  the losers are awarded bonus points subject to performance.

In thePremier Division there were wins for Astwood Bank who beat Old Elizabethans by eight wickets at Sambourne Lane, Old Hill who put last seasons woes behind them to get off to a dream start by bowling out visitors Colwall for a meagre total to win by nine wickets at Haden Hill, Pershore beat Bromyard by a country mile at the Flaggoners Green, newly promoted Droitwich Spa started off their campaign with a win against Brockhampton at St. Peters Field, last seasons Champions Stourbridge secured a thirty eight run win against the other newly promoted team Ombersley 2^nd XI (the first ever 2^nd XI to play in the top flight of County League cricket in Worcestershire) and last seasons runners up Stourport-on-Severn battled back from an indifferent start with the ball to beat Redditch in the highest scoring match in the division at Walshes Meadow.

In Division Onethere were wins for newly promoted Barnt Green 2^nd XI who put Coombswood to the sword with a nine wicket win on the road at Stewarts Road, Worcester Nomads beat Kidderminster 2^nd XI comfortably at Whitegates Lane, Halesowen 2^nd XI, another promoted side beat Hagley at Seth Somers Park to start on a positive note, Lye beat Bewdley at Lower Park by twenty six runs to get their season off to the start they wanted, Chaddesley Corbett won a low scoring affair at Albemarle Road against local rivals Oldswinford by two wickets and last but not least Pedmore beat visiting Worcester (who were relegated from the Premier Division alongside Bewdley last season) by three wickets at home.

The victorious teams in Division Twowere Astwood Bank 2^nd XI for whom Tom Downing (83*) compiled an undefeated second innings half century to ensure a comfortable win against Bromsgrove 2^nd XI at St. Godwalds Park, Cookley beat newly promoted Harborne 3^rd XI at home by seventy six runs, Enville beat Himbleton at home after batting first and setting the visitors a total that proved out of reach, newly promoted Bartestree & Lugwardine won what looked like an excellent contest at home against local rivals Burghill, Tillington & Weobley by nine runs, Belbroughton beat visiting Bredon in a cliff-hanger at Hackmans Gate Lane by just one wicket and finally newly promoted Alvechurch & Hopwood and Himley 2^nd XI went one better when both teams were inseparable on two hundred and twenty three at the end of affairs at Birmingham Road in what must have been an enthralling tie.

Feckenham made the long trip to Brockhampton to record an opening day win by seven wickets in Division Three. Elsewhere, Netherton beat Coombswood 2^nd XI by eight wickets at Highbridge Road, Redditch beat Martley by seven wickets at their Bromsgrove Road Ground, Barnards Green 2^nd XI compiled the highest score of the day at North End Lane (297-6) in their sixty one run victory against visiting Old Hill 2^nd XI, Joe Sullivan (82*) struck an undefeated second innings half century to help Old Vigornians start with a win as they chased down newly promoted Stourbridge 2^nd XIs first innings total to win by four wickets at Green Lane and Old Elizabethans 2^nd XI grabbed their first win of the season chasing down Avoncrofts challenging first innings total to win by three wickets at the Memorial Ground..

In Division Fournewly promoted West Malvern beat Chaddesley Corbett 2^nd XI by eight wickets at Longmore to get off to the near perfect start, Lye 2^nd XI beat Bromsgrove 3^rd XI by seven wickets at home, Stourport-on-Severn 2^nd XI swept aside Five Ways Old Edwardians on their travels to record a comfortable away win at the Masshouse, Netherton 2^nd XI made the long trip to Eastnor and came away with their first win of the season after a solid second innings bowling performance proved too much for the home team, another of the promoted teams, Claverley started well when they beat Romsley & Hunnington in an excellent match by three wickets and finally in the match between the two relegated teams from last season Lewis Campbell (6-24) helped Worcester 2^nd XI beat close rivals Rushwick at Norton Barracks by seventeen runs. 

The match format played throughout the season n Divisions Five and below is the Win/Lose format, with a slight difference in the amount of bonus points a team can gain for batting and bowling performances.

In Division Fivethere were wins for Droitwich Spa 2^nd XI who beat Astwood Bank 3^rd XI at Hanbury by seven wickets, Pershore 2^nd XI who brushed aside Hanley Castle & Upton 1^st XI by a healthy margin at the Bottoms, Worcester Nomads 2^nd XI chased down Malvern 1^st XIs first innings target to win by five wickets at the Ramblers Ground. Joe Palmer (138*) compiled and excellent unbeaten first innings century for Harborne 4^th XI to help the newly promoted team an opening day win against another promoted side Pedmore 2^nd XI.  Tom Newman (125) scored an excellent first innings century for Colwall 2^nd XI to set up their win against Halesowen 3^rd XI at Stowe Lane and Barnt Green 3^rd XI who were also promoted last year beat Bewdley 2^nd XI by thirty eight runs at the Douglas Ground to get their campaign off to a positive start.

Hagley 2^nd XI find themselves at the top of Division Sixfollowing a comprehensive win against local rivals Belbroughton 2^nd XI at Hagley Park, Old Vigornians 2^nd XI are next after they claimed a five wicket win in a match played at Birlingham Cricket Club against Enville 2^nd XI, Stourbridge 3^rd XI sit in third after beating Bromyard 2^nd XI by a comfortable margin in a match played at Client Cricket Club, Kempsey 1^st XI are next after securing a seventy run win against visiting Himley 3^rd XI at Plovers rise despite the best efforts of Aryan Chauhan (5-42) who took five first innings wickets for the visitors.

In other matches Liam Williams’ (109) second innings century helped newly promoted Cleobury Mortimer 1^st XI get their season off to the perfect start as they chased down Alveley 1^st XIs first innings target to win by just two wickets and in a very low scoring match at Addis Lane newly promoted Cutnall Green 1^st XI lost to Kidderminster 3^rd XI by seventeen runs in a match that produced less that one hundred and fifty runs altogether.

In Division Seven, Ombersley 3^rd X are top after beating Rushwick 2^nd XI by a healthy margin at the Alf Tolley Memorial Ground. Ed Kemp took a first innings hat-trick for newly promoted Tenbury Wells 1^st XI in their win against Birlingham 1^st XI at Penlu, Oldswinford 2^nd XI beat Bromsgrove 4^th XI by seven wickets at the Hedges Ground to claim third position and in a match between the other two promoted teams Mohammed Nasar (73) helped Claverley 2^nd set a first innings total that proved eleven runs too many for Barnards Green 3^rd XI to chase at Newland.

Elsewhere in the division, despite the best efforts of David Robinson (90) who starred with the bat for Bartestree & Lugwardine 2^nd XI in the second innings, fellow Herefordians Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 2^nd XI managed to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat by just two runs at Brick House Farm on Saturday. With the visitors needing just nineteen runs for victory with four second innings wickets remaining Robinsons dismissal proved the turning point as the visitors lost their last four wickets for just sixteen runs (including their last three for four runs) to go down by two runs in what must have been a nerve wracking finale, and finally Stourport-on-Severn 3^rd XI got their season off to a positive start with a comfortable fifty eight run victory against Five Ways Old Edwardians 2^nd XI at Walshes Meadow.    

In the newly compiled countywide Division Eight,Captain Chris Harler (111*) and James Batsford (82) helped Stone 1^st XI march to the top of the table as their first innings efforts helped them post a total that proved far too many for Halesowen 4^th XI to chase. Martley 2^nd XI find themselves in second place after they beat Cookley 2^nd XI by a comfortable margin at the Jewry Field, Romsley & Hunnington 2^nd XI beat Old Elizabethans 3^rd XI by six wickets to claim third place, Alvechurch & Hopwood 2^nd XI are fourth after beating Feckenham 2^nd XI by forty runs despite the best efforts of Angus Hardy (142) who struck a magnificent second innings century in defeat, Kidderminster 4^th XI beat Highley 1^st XI by six wickets at Winterfold House School to go fifth and finally Harvington 1^st XI are in sixth after they gained a concession win over Worcester 3^rd XI who failed to raise a team.

All in all, an excellent start to what promises to be a competitive and enjoyable season ahead. Well done to our hard working Groundsmen and all of their helpers who manged to work between the showers over the last couple of weeks to produce some excellent pitches to ensure the first weekend of recreational cricket got off to a flyer !