THE first match of the cricket season usually means gloomy weather and interrupted games from the predictable April showers.

So the sight of clear skies and the bright sunshine brought a pleasant change to the start of the 2004 Lancashire County League season.

Another pleasant change to this season's competition is the addition of Hyde-based newcomers Flowery Field, who replaced Sale Moor in the league and welcomed Prestwich to their Throstle Bank Street ground with open arms and lavish facilities.

On a slightly spongy track, Prestwich captain for the day, Craig Duxbury, won the toss and elected to field, which gave Chris Humphreys, returning to Prestwich after a season as professional at Standish CC, the opportunity to attack the LCL defences once again.

His first over, which cost eight byes and a boundary, was surprising but thankfully, not a sign of things to come.

Flowery, without a pro following the last minute U-turn from Aussie Chris Mason, opened with Dyson and Marshall, but after the first 12 runs from the first over they then took a further eight overs to double their score.

In what was now going to prove to be a low scoring game, the first wicket fell in the 13th over with captain Dyson being caught behind by wicketkeeper Gareth Barnes from a Humphreys delivery for 16, with the score at 32.

Gleave came in to partner Marshall and continued the slow progress until the 25th over, when Marshall was caught by Fiorentini to become Humphreys second victim.

With the score on 45-2, this was now pretty much the beginning of the end for the Flowery innings, with the next five wickets falling in the following nine overs, including another three wickets for Humphreys and a couple for Prestwich pro Duxbury.

Lister showed a little resistance to the Prestwich attack, but when he was caught by Humphreys from Duxbury, and then Williams by Fitzmaurice, again off Duxbury, last man Middleton was quickly bowled by the returning Andy Bradley.

Bradley's first spell came to a premature end when he had to withdraw from the bowling attack, due to indigestion problems -- a true case of who ate all the pies!

Flowery finished on 81 all out, with a fine 5-44 haul for Humphreys and an excellent 4-19 for Duxbury.

After a quality spread put on by the home side at tea, Stephen Lorenzini and Craig Duxbury made a steady start, which was interrupted in the seventh over when Duxbury was bowled by Middleton with the score on 23.

Mike Hudson came in next to partner Lorenzini, who was caught by Hobday off the bowling of Middleton for 21.

Hudson then added a further 10 to the score before being caught by King.

David Fitzmaurice top-scored for Prestwich with an unbeaten 30, which included three fours and one rather large six that easily cleared the ground and landed somewhere between the nearby church and factory.

With Humphreys not registering in the scorebook, Mercer and Fitzmaurice brought the innings and game to a close with Prestwich finishing on 85-4, taking the full 5 points back to The Heys.

On Sunday, Prestwich faced a mighty test away at Northern League champions Darwen.

Steve Orrell returned to action having been the best man at a wedding the day before, and he again proved the best man for the occasion.

He trudged to the crease with the score on 21 for 6 as the match threatened to end before the Eastenders Omnibus had finished.

But Orrell hit a sweet 46, given good support from Peter Walters (18) and then a bristling knock of 30 from Matty Walsh, which pushed Prestwich to a total of respectability.

Chasing 141, the home side cleverly paced their innings, although Prestwich made them battle hard for victory.

Despite not making the breakthrough until the 90s, through the hard-working Walsh, Darwen only surpassed the total with little more than two overs to spare.

Lorenzini bowled a fine spell of medium pace without any luck, while Bradley took 1-20, and Alex Blake grabbed the other wicket of Cordingly, having previously flattened his stumps off a no-ball, showing he will prove a threat if can hit a consistent groove.