Unsurprisingly, the constant barrage of rain we have received over the last six-week period took its toll on the first round of fixtures in the Worcestershire County League on Saturday with only nine fixtures (19%) of the planned activity eventually produced results, many of which were in reduced over affairs.

For the first time in its brief history the first weeks fixtures witnessed a total washout in the Premier Division with all matches cancelled without a ball being bowled, some were even called off the day before as clubs had reported difficulty in accessing their square which made it almost impossible to undertake pre-season maintenance or prepare and roll a wicket.

Division One faired a little better as two of the six matches planned reached competitive conclusions all be it in reduced over contests.

Jabran Khalid (5-12) ensured Worcester 1st XI made the most of their good fortune by taking five second innings wickets to help the visitors beat Hagley 1st XI at Hagley Hall by seventy-four runs in a match reduced to thirty seven overs per side whilst in the only other match played Pedmore 1st XI beat Lye 1st XI in a low scoring match reduced to forty five overs a-side by one wicket in what must have been a pulsating season opener for both teams.   

In Division Two, three matches managed to produce competitive results.

After losing the toss and being inserted in a match that managed to start on time Joel Cox (162) grabbed the bull by the horns to compile a big first innings century for Bredon 1st XI which helped them get off to a flying start with a sixty nine run victory against visiting Astwood Bank 2nd XI.

At the other end of the County Himley 2nd XI also manged to get a full game in against visiting Bartestree & Lugwardine 1st XI who made the long trip to the South Staffordshire border form Hereford.

After batting first and setting a challenging but gettable first innings total (187-8) the Himley 2nd XI bowlers then performed well as a unit in the second innings to eventually bowl out the visitors thirty runs short of the target to secure the win.

In the other match played in the division, Enville 1st XI beat Kidderminster 2nd XI by eight wickets in a match reduced to thirty overs a-side at Chester Road North.

After winning the toss and electing to field first Enville's Matthew Gill (4-26) bowled well throughout the first innings to restrict the home team to a gettable first innings total (131-8) which the visitors passed for the loss of just two wickets with Matthew Branch (76*) undefeated.

Only one match survived the weather Division Three, the match between Old Elizabethans 2nd XI and Barnards Green 2nd XI which started on time at the Memorial Ground, Perdiswell.

After winning the toss the home team inserted Barnards Green 2nd XI who thanks to the efforts of James Styles (70*) who led the way with an unbeaten half century to help the visitors post what looked like a par score (192-7) in the first innings.

However, once Ben Clarke (4-16) and Max Bentley (4-19) were introduced into the visitors attack the first innings total looked a good one as wickets started to fall quickly and consistently which eventually led to a comprehensive eighty-eight run win for the visitors on the road.

Stourport-on-Severn 2nd XI marched to the top of Division Four with a comprehensive victory against newly promoted Harborne 4th XI after posting the high score of the day (281-6) on what must have been an excellent early season surface at Walshes Farm Meadows.

Whilst in the only other match played in the division Will Trumper (117) cracked a first innings century and Lewis Hooper (4-35) returned excellent second innings figures to help Rushwick 1st XI start the season off with a comfortable win in a match reduced to thirty five overs per side against near neighbours Worcester Nomads 2nd XI at the Alf Tolley Memorial Ground.

Only one other match survived the weather in the lower divisions, the match played between Old Elizabethans CC 3rd XI and Burghill, Tillington & Weobley CC  2nd XI in Division Seven (South) which produced a comfortable seven wicket victory for the visitors after George Stevenson (5-16) and AJ Morris (4-30) shared nine first innings wickets between them and Theo Darke (56*) compiled a patient undefeated second innings half century to ensure the visitors passed the total with minimal stress.

All other matches in Division Five, Six & Seven (North) were beaten by the weather and cancelled without a ball being bowled.