HANLEY Castle & Upton’s first game in Worcestershire County League Division Three after being promoted last season ended in disappointment after losing by four wickets to Avoncroft.
Last season’s Division Four champions could only post 147 all out after being put into bat first.
Will St Ledger-Chambers (26) and Josh Benson-Smith (27 not out) were the only Hanley players to make decent headway as Jonathan Hunter did the damage with the ball, taking four wickets at the cost of 26 runs.
Despite four wickets from Hanley’s George Barrell in reply, Avoncroft claimed victory after 37 overs, racing to 150-6 with the help of an unbeaten 55 by wicket-keeper Tom Murray.