DARWEN got their Northern Premier League season off to a flying start with an impressive 129 run, 15 point victory over Leyland and Farrington at Fox Lane on Saturday.

Leyland asked Darwen to bat and after losing the early wicket of Hadfield, Jackson and Semple added 65 before Jackson fell to Koortzen for a solid 34. Semple then enjoyed two more successful partnerships with Gareth Cordingley (49) and Chris Lowe (52), with Cordingley scoring 18 and Lowe 24.

Semple's was the fifth wicket to fall with the score on 184 in the 52nd over. He had scored a massive 103 from 115 balls, including six sixes and four fours. This was his first innings since returning to England and it was great to see just how quickly he has adapted to the typical Lancashire April conditions.

The Darwen innings finished on a very respectable 210-7 with Mercer hitting a quick unbeaten 13 at the end. It was a welcome return for Mercer who missed last season while taking an extended holiday.

The Leyland reply got off to a steady start with Bavla and Namajee hitting 25 before Bavla fell to Mercer for 17 in the 13th over. Gareth Cordingley then entered the attack and proceeded to rip the heart of the Leyland innings out by taking 4-34 from just nine overs.

Leyland had struggled to 70-4 in 29 overs but the next 12 overs saw them lose their remaining six wickets for the addition of just 11 runs. With captain Jeff Hacking skilfully changing the bowlers Semple and Mercer joined the fun with Mercer snapping up a further two wickets and Semple taking three.

The last three batsmen all failed to trouble the scorer leaving Pallett stranded on nine not out. Semple ended with figures of three wickets for 13 runs from his 10 overs, while Mercer finished 3-24 from his 16 overs.

A solid start to the season, that sets the scene for next weekend's encounter with league champions Netherfield.

Darwen seconds were able to hang on to a losing draw in a rain affected match thanks to a fine knock of 42 by Ian Bateson.

DARWEN

G Jackson c Heydock b Koortzen...34

M Hadfield c Koortzen b Pallett...4

K Semple c Rimmer b Koortzen...103

G Cordingley b Rimmer...18

C Lowe st Williams b Koortzen...24

J Cordingley b Vahaluwala...4

G Ainslie c Pallett b Vahaluwala...2

A Mercer not out...13

J Hacking not out...4

Extras...4

Total (7wkts)...210

Bowling: S Pallett 9-1-38-1; P Haydock 9-2-33-0; B Tennant 4-0-15-0; L Vahaluwala 12-4-41-2; P Koortzen 16-0-62-3; N Rimmer 7-1-18-1.

LEYLAND

M Bavla c Hacking b Mercer...17

H Namajee c Hadfield b Cordingley...14

P Koortzen c Horsfield b Semple...20

N Rimmer b Cordingley...2

L Vahaluwala c and b Cordingley...4

A Gill st Parkinson b Cordingley...11

M Pallett not out...9

L Williams lbw Mercer...2

B Tennant c Parkinson b Semple...0

R Haydock c Parkinson b Mercer...0

S Pallett b Semple...0

Extras...2

Total...81

Bowling: A Mercer 16-8-24-3; J Hacking 6-3-9-0; G Cordingley 9-0-34-4; K Semple 9.5-5-13-3.