Poulton v Ullenwood
(Sat - League)

Poulton began their new season with a 70-run victory over Ullenwood last weekend.
  After winning the toss, Poulton elected to bat on a dry, flat Poulton track. New boy Higginson and Leadbeater started well, though every good shot seemed to find Ullenwood fielders.
  The tempo of the game was on the way up when Leadbeater was caught flicking one off his pads.
  Greener then joined Higginson and both continued to play shots before Higginson skied one off Gray.
  All the following Poulton batsmen added valuable runs with Neil Shaw adding 32 and, at the death, Young and James pushing the score to a creditable 197.
  In return, Ullenwood were soon in trouble with both James and Willard picking up wickets.
  But it was the latter who would go on to take Poulton to victory, with Ian Musty producing a faultless display behind the stumps and picking up three edged catches.
  Bowling an excellent line off a new shorter run-up than previously seen, Steve Willard returned figures of 7-29.
  Richard Young picked up two important wickets and, overall, this was a good performance.
  Even so, the fielding will need to be sharpened up against the better sides, although this should come as the season progresses.
  Although Musty performed well and Martin Sollis was on fire in the field, Steve Willard picked up the man-of-the-match award with a career best 7-29.

Poulton v Avening & Cherington
(Sun - Friendly)

Poulton won the toss and elected to bat in perfect batting conditions.
  Ian Musty made a lightening 20 runs before he was caught with the score on 27.
  This brought Neil Moss to the crease who, with fellow debutant Graham Vinnicombe, put on a partnership of 53.
  When Moss went for 17, Avening captain Andy Smith ripped through the middle order with only Nathan Dytor offering any resistance.
  Vinnicombe carried his bat for a fine innings of 90 not out which included eight fours and one towering six.
  In reply, Avening found runs hard to come by against the miserly Poulton attack.
  Smith made a steady 34 before being removed by a Musty boomerang and Thomas made 40 until he became one of stand-in keeper Young's three stumping victims off the bowling of Moss.
  However, it was 14-year old off spinner Matt Coleman, on his Poulton debut, who created the most problems for the batsmen with his beguiling blend of flight and turn.
  Coleman returned figures of 4-49 from 14 overs and, with the aid of a good all round fielding display from Poulton, Avening were left 23 runs short of victory.