Uphill Castle seconds started well, winning by six wickets against Long Sutton.

UPHILL Castle seconds got their season off to a winning start with a comfortable victory against Long Sutton.

Uphill invited Long Sutton to bat on a slow low wicket, where patience and grafting would have been the order of the day.

Against accurate bowling from veterans Holt and Kennedy, Long Sutton failed to show any application. Kennedy took 3-18 off eight overs and Holt 1-25 off 12.

Matt Loud removed the middle order with a devastating four over spell, claiming 3-6 and Luke Bliss chipped in with 2-1 off four and George Cox finished the job, bowling Long Sutton out for 68 in the 33rd over.

Uphill had a couple of scares reaching the total, but Luke Bliss with an undefeated 36 and Rob Latham with 11 not out saw Uphill home in the 22nd over for the loss of four wickets.

The Beachlands Hotel man of the match was Luke Bliss.

Uphill Castle Cavaliers began the season with a heavy defeat at Ilminster.

Batting on a damp pitch, the only boundary of the innings arrived in the 31st over when George Chapman hit a four.

To their credit, the Uphill youngsters showed great application, stretching the innings out over 38 overs. However, a score of 46 all out was never going to stretch the hosts.

Connor Davidson (15) was the only batsman to reach double figures, taking advantage of a few stray deliveries.

Castle were further undone by bowling 10 wides, getting Ilminster out of the traps. However, credit goes to Hallam Bickell (nine off four overs) and James Holt (seven off four overs) for hitting their line and length straight away.

Chapman bowled his five overs with excellent control and Bob Hurford bowled tightly. Castle had one champagne moment as skipper Nigel Cook stretched out a hand to grab an improbable catch off James Holt. However, Ilminster won in the 21st over by nine wickets.