REIGNING champions Wormelow got their reduced Marches League season underway with a five-wicket victory over Strollers on a difficult batting wicket.

Hosts Strollers elected to bat and got off to a good start as score had reached 34 before Doug Roberts (25) fell to debutant Robbie Symonds.

Skipper Tom Cutler then brought Luke Sparrow and Ian Herbert into the attack, a move which proved a wise one as Strollers slipped from 56-1 to 90 all out inside 25 overs.

Sparrow finishing with 5-22 from 7.5 overs and Herbert with 4-15 from seven overs.

With the pitch becoming more of a challenge Wormelow eventually reached their target, Oliver Langford top scoring on 15.

Elsewhere, Goodrich hung on to narrowly beat Woolhope by five runs after setting a target of 106.

Luctonians got their season off to a flyer by beating rivals Dales by 115 runs.

Matt Bengry hit 57 for the Mortimer Park side while Chris Ibbetson and Frank Kelly narrowly missed half-centuries on their way to posting a total of 232/7.

In reply only skipper Jon Jones (40) offered resistance as they fell all out for 117.

Meanwhile, Builth Wells took an opening day victory over Garnons by six wickets.

Wormelow seconds made it a successful weekend for their side by recording a four-wicket victory over Kington.

An unbeaten stand of 53 by Tom Parry (52no) and Freddy Harding (26no) saw their side over the line.

An all-Herefordshire derby saw Brockhampton beat Burghill, Tillington and Weobley by four wickets in the Worcestershire County League.

An unbeaten century by Owen Morgan had put Burghill in the driving seat after setting a target of 236-6.

However, Brockhampton responded with opener Ian Bullock also hitting an unbeaten century with Glyn Harrhy (40) contributing as they reached 236/6 from 36.3 overs.

Colwall took their first win of the competition thrashing Worcester by 225 runs.

Openers Oliver Hugo Cox (74) and James Abel (62) put on a 131 first wicket stand before Andrew Robertson (4-17) and Luke Dalley (4-18) did the damage with the ball.