ATHERTON CC got the new cricket season underway, and with the arrivals of new professional Lee Childs from Australia and Neil Bannister making a return to his hometown club after over a decade away, the club has high expectations of challenging for major honours this season.

Teenage openers Karl Brown and Paul Keenan started slowly with Keenan the first to depart for seven. Phil West and Brown punished the Daisy Hill bowling attack to produce the highest partnership of the match.

They took the score to 140 by the 33rd over a big score looked on the cards.

When West eventually fell for a confidently struck 65, Bannister arrived with great purpose, despatching his first delivery for six. He and Brown then carried on the good work and produced a good little partnership, until 15-years-old Brown was caught in the deep for a superb 88.

New pro Lee Childs, who has a reputation of hitting the ball hard, didn't disappoint, hitting a quick-fire 42 not out as the Atherton innings finished on 238-4.

Daisy Hill took the score to 50 without loss after 13 overs with two former Atherton players Sean and Duncan Brooks proving difficult to dislodge. Baines eventually took the wicket of Duncan Brooks and Walsh removed Sean soon after. With the score on 68-2 there was a rain delay. When they returned Paul Brown and Childs took a wicket apiece but the weather closed in again and the game was halted with Daisy Hill on 110-4.