After a poor weekend for the club, Fourth team skipper Andrew Jackson was keen to restore some pride for the club. He has steadied the ship over the last year, but unchartered territory presented itself on Sunday versus Kingsley in Frodsham.

Jackson’s job was to steer the ship with a team ravaged by absence. Debuts were handed to Peter De Bruyne Smith, Charlie Harrison and Ben Young, as the season’s start was one filled with nervousness and hope, in equal measure.

Fortunately for Jackson, he still had a brigade of fine bowlers at his disposal, as he elected to bowl on a decent surface, glistening in the Cheshire sun. His first choice seam option, Matthew Walker, exuded confidence as Jackson handed him the new ball. Keen to impress, he steamed in with authority and vigour against an experienced Kingsley side.

He struck in the opening over, with Jackson behind the stumps taking a smart catch. Also, the Kingsley number 3 had to retire hurt as a brute of a Walker deliver struck him on the wrist. Walker finished with 3 wickets in a superb spell.

Fellow opening bowler Simon Donald also picked up a wicket, thanks to an impressive tumbling catch by the exuberant Walker grazing down at fine leg.

Following that dismissal, captain Jackson thought it was time to light the final boilers and make a charge to the finish and introduced his spin twins, Chris Bongard & Pete Gibbon. Both helped themselves to wickets as the Kingsley innings was going down at the head and in urgent need of assistance.

Kingsley’s batsmen didn’t help themselves however, with two of their top order run out as a result of direct hits from throws from Donald & Gibbon.

As the innings faltered, Jackson turned to debutant Harrison’s military medium, which picked up a wicket thanks to a juggling Phil Raffo catch, and Jim McKenna, who was denied a scalp by Jackson fumbling a simple chance behind the stumps.

At the half way stage, the home side were 98 all out, and Toft sniffed the whiff of victory. The visitors dressing room was buoyant at the interval, but a nervous Jackson remained concerned about the Toft tail foundering in deep water. Longer than a week in jail, and very prone to a calamitous collapse, caution was required.

He needn’t have worried. Jackson strode out to bat with debutant Smith, keen to get off to a decent start. They treated the insipid Kingsley attack with disdain. Jackson, in particular, clubbed the hosts bowling to all parts, reaching the retirement mark of 50 in just 37 balls. Smith fell for 18 after supporting his captain well in the onslaught.

It was left to messers Raffo & McKenna to complete he job in the sun as his teammates basked on the boundary’s edge, happy with their days work.

A season started with a victory, and a fine one by 9 wickets, but choppy waters lie ahead……