Paxton fourth grade opening batsman Steve Collins wasted no time getting into the swing of things when he blasted 133 to set up a massive total of 306 against Paxton at Turner Park.

Collins did not use up too much energy in the running department as he smacked 23 boundaries and cleared the rope four times in a fine innings.

At the other end of the cricketing scale Denman Hotel third grade opening bowler Rob Clark took a wicket with his very first ball.

Then after consecutive dots with his next two he claimed a hat-trick with the fourth, fifth and sixth deliveries of his first over against Greta/Branxton at Baddeley 3.  He ended the day with figures of 5-26 off five overs.

In another fine performance with the two-piece Wine Country 15-year- old fourth grade opening bowler Wayne Harris claimed every Bellbird scalp in the match played at Carmichael 2.

However, with the Tigers taking the field with only eight players more than likely prevented him from taking any more.

He finished with the very impressive figures of 7-4 off six overs.

Bellbird v Wine Country

In first grade last year’s runner up Bellbird had a narrow escape from the ever improving Wine Country when they won by 21 runs at Allandale.

Wine Country were missing new skipper Matt Lightfoot, so Stephen Hedger took back the reins for the day and won the toss on a sticky wicket.

He asked Bellbird to bat first in the tricky conditions, and that it did prove early on with incumbent association player of the year Jason Orr trapped in front on the third ball of the innings without scoring.

The Tigers were 5-57 at one stage, but after surviving an early chance Ben Fairlie (42) and Stef Durie (41) steadied the ship along with a handy Wade Attewell contribution (20no) at number 10.

This took the visitors up to a competitive 139 from the 30.2 overs they occupied the middle.

Rob Sidebottom rallied in the prime bowling conditions with 3-21 off 6.2 overs, with prodigal son Steve Abel (2-31 off 7), Alan Heath (2-35 off 8) and Nathan Wright (2-10 off 2) all taking a brace of wickets each.

The Wood Ducks were 2-12 early in reply, but Abel (36) in a fine all-round game along with last year fourth grade multi-centurion Brendan Briedenhann (19) who showed no sign of top grade nerves got the home side back in the contest.

Their demise signalled the start of the end for Wine Country, with the remaining wickets falling quite cheaply with the exception of Mark O’Hara and Heath who each scored 17.