DROITWICH CC suffered double disappointment in their opening Worcestershire County League matches against Cookley.
Spa’s first team were blown away by nine wickets at St Peter’s Fields after being dismissed for one of the lowest scores that members can remember while the Seconds were pipped by one wicket in a thrilling last ball finale in the reverse fixture.
After losing the toss on a true but slow wicket, Droitwich opened with the Young brothers, Max and Jake, but both were back in the pavilion within a matter of overs.
This was the start of a sorry procession of batsmen as Spa slumped to 22-8 before capitulating for a paltry 43 despite some very minor resistance from captain Martyn Davies and Jay de Costa, who top scored with 14.
Both opening bowlers for the league newcomers bagged five wickets apiece before their team-mates made light work of the target – breezing to victory in the seventh over and finishing the match before 3pm.
By comparison, the Seconds clash went down to the wire as Cookley’s last pair scampered a leg bye in the gathering gloom off the final ball.
They pinched the seven runs needed off the final over bowled by Jonny Keen, who claimed a hat-trick in a spell of 4-30 and whose father, Martin, hit 43 in the Droitwich total of 210-7.
This weekend, Droitwich Firsts travel to Hagley aiming to make amends, the Seconds entertain Lye, while the Thirds and Fourths start their league campaigns against Barnt Green.
