Little Bardfield Village Cricket club had a strong start to their Two Counties Division Three campaign as visitors Yoxford were defeated by 146 runs on Saturday. Invited to bat, the Village opening pair Mark Welby (22) and Eddie Hitchcock (35) pu

Little Bardfield Village Cricket club had a strong start to their Two Counties Division Three campaign as visitors Yoxford were defeated by 146 runs on Saturday.

Invited to bat, the Village opening pair Mark Welby (22) and Eddie Hitchcock (35) put on 48 before Welby was caught. Daryl Hymas made an uncharacteristic error to be adjudged lbw before scoring, but number four Dean Bass made his presence felt with a two hour innings of 113, with his first century of the season coming off just 80 deliveries as Bardfield moved to 258-8.

S King and A Dumesny, opening for Yoxford, were both sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers, the visitors struggling to score off an in-form Matt Graham (3-18 ) and Steve Hudspith (3-22 ) as they subsided to 112 all out.

Sunday's first outing for the Village in the first division of the PDQ League, saw a scratch side overcome by a Halstead seconds side giving some of their EADT Premier League big guns an outing.

Bardfield were dismissed for 133 runs in only 38 overs. Bass top-scored with 37,while for Halstead T Philip took 4-17.

Village new-comer George Dann was the only bowler to take a wicket as he snared A Charlton lbw.

However, J Wells (87) and M Johnson (38) required only 24 overs to complete a nine wicket victory for the visitors.

Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club got their season under way with a friendly at home to Reed on Saturday and picked up an eight-run victory.

Aythorpe batted first and lost early wickets, and at one stage were 77-4, but Graham Milbank and Andy Clarke came to the rescue with a 134 run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Milbank scored 70, Clarke hit 68, Simon Sargent scored 12 and there were 55 extras as Aythorpe Roding reached 247-9 in 45 overs.

Pick of the bowlers for Reed were L Mackenzie (2-33) and M Martin (2-23).

The Reed batsmen put in a good performance, with L Mackenzie (50), C Jackson (37), S Smith (38), M Martin (32), S Tidey (24 no) and W Clarke (19 no) all on form as they reached 239-7 wkts in 45 overs falling eight runs short.

Neil Culleton took 3-21 in six overs and AJ Ford, Sam Gravatt, Simon Sargent and Andy Clarke all picked up a wicket each.

On Sunday Aythorpe Roding entertained Dunmow and lost by five wickets.

Aythorpe batted first and made 186-8. Joe Grant top scored on 68, Steve Simmonds made 18, Sam Gravatt hit 27, Neil Culleton made 27 and Paul Gravatt was unbeaten on 20.

For Dunmow, Hamlin claimed 2-34, Strong 2-31, J Swanston 2-11 and Sneath and Iliffe both took a wicket apiece.

Opening batsmen for Dunmow Sneath hit 82, M Barnes made 23, J Reid was unbeaten on 38 and S Iliffe reached 22 not out as Dunmow reached their target with the loss of five wickets.

Sam Gravatt took 3-47 in seven overs, Danny Elsworth 1-36 in six overs and Neil Culleton 1-20 in four overs.