PROMOTED pair Ipswich and Haverhill both suffered heavy defeats in their first matches in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship on Saturday.

Ipswich suffered the worst-possible start – in-form batsman Adam Polley nicked the first ball of the match and was caught at slip.

James Alder reached 33 but was one of Will Blackwell’s three victims, while newcomer Doug Hondo scored 30 and shared a grafting partnership with Alex Gooding (21) as the scoring rate dried up against Coggeshall’s spinners.

By the end of the 50 overs Ipswich had struggled to 130 for nine.

Ipswich’s seam bowlers gained little help from the wicket and Byron Ovenstone (53 not out) and Jimmy Rees (47) guided Coggeshall to a comfortable eight-wicket win.

Haverhill were on the receiving end of another Andy Northcote masterclass. The Italian international led the league’s batting list with 1,125 runs last season, and has already hit the top this time after batting through the Woolpit innings to reach 185 not out.

He received plenty of support from Dom Crame, who also reached three figures as Woolpit rattled up a mighty 356 for three. Dan Poole was the pick of the bowlers, although he finished with two for 99.

In reply Haverhill made a spirited effort to reach 213 for eight, Adam Dellar top-scoring with 84 before falling caught and bowled to Northcote.

Mistley secured their first win at Copdock & Old Ipswichians in almost 20 years after a thrilling finish at Old London Road.

Copdock & OIs elected to bat first on a slow pitch and Mistley’s pace attack struggled to get any assistance on a docile track. At 46 for one, the home side seemed to be building a sound base for a good total until young Damien Smith’s five-wicket haul reduced them to 70 for eight.

Excellent fielding backed up all of the bowlers and with Stuart Dove claiming three wickets and Australian Kyran Young two the innings ended at 131.

Even so the visitors knew the Copdock attack would make even a modest target a difficult one. But new boy Kemsley Robb took the attack to the home bowlers with gusto to score 35 until he was given out to a disputed catch claimed in vociferous style by the home team.

The middle order then slipped away and at 103 for eight it looked to be all over. Captain John Manning then produced a match-winning innings of 18 to help his team over the line for a one-wicket win, with Stuart Dove’s three not out proving to be as vital as his bowling earlier in the day.

Mildenhall’s season got off to an unfortunate start as skipper Steve Lankester was a late withdrawal due to illness. In his absence Lennox Lwana, newcomer AJ Janzhabib and England Under-19 bowler Tymal Mills reduced Frinton to 67 for five. But Jamie Hambrook (27) then joined Mark Jones (78), who has joined Frinton after playing for Brightlingsea last summer.

They added 75 and helped lift the final tally to a useful 181 for eight. It proved to be more than enough as Mildenhall slumped to 43 for five.

Adam Trett top-scored with 33 and Richard Cross added 28 but Suffolk Over-50s skipper Tony Stubbs turned the screw with four for 46 and Mildenhall were dismissed for 137.

Exning began with a fine win over Maldon, captain Matt Catley leading the way with 75 out of a total of 245 for eight. Jamie Grove then snapped up five for 29 to send Maldon from 112 for four to 138 all out.

Nathan Rabnott led Wivenhoe to an emphatic win at Abberton with 110. The home side had five scores over 20, but Richard Moxon’s 35 was the highest in a total of 204 for seven. Rabnott’s century set up a seven-wicket win with plenty of overs in hand.

Ipswich & East Suffolk were the only team to bat first and win in Division Two with Henry Foster’s six wickets and 30 runs in vain for East Bergholt.

Isaac Reed grabbed five for 35 as Woodbridge were bowled out for just 84 as Brockley won by five wickets.

Elsewhere the top team total of the weekend was at Yoxford, who made 394 for three at home to St Margarets in Division Four with Adam Dumesny scoring an unbeaten 169 while his fellow Australian Damien Cialini fell two short of his own century.

Alex Reynolds scored 127 not out as Mildenhall II beat Felixstowe by 144 runs in Division Three while Craig Estlea scored 66 and took four wickets for Worlington in the win over Bury St Edmunds II.

The best bowling figures of the weekend were earned by Richard Howes with seven for 18 for Witham II in the 33 run win over Brightlingsea II.

Results round-up

Division One

*Abberton 204 for 7 (R Moxon 35, M Abrey 32, J Ward 27, J Gallant 27, S Swinn 20, T Durrel 4 for 22). Wivenhoe 205 for 4 (N Rabnott 110, M Durrell 29, C Rule 24no). Wivenhoe (18) bt Abberton (7) by 6 wkts.

Ipswich 130 for 9 (J Alder 33, D Hondo 30, A Gooding 21, R Cross 3 for 9, W Blackwell 3 for 25). *Coggeshall 131 for 2 (B Ovenstone 53no, J Rees 47). Coggeshall (19) bt Ipswich (3) by 8 wkts.

*Copdock & OIs 131 (Jas East 43, A Gravell 27, D Smith 5 for 48, S Dove 3 for 27). Mistley 134 for 9 (K Robb 35, C Swallow 4 for 31, Jon East 4 for 35). Mistley (20) bt Copdock (6) by 1 wkt.

*Exning 245 for 8 (M Catley 75, O Fowlston 39, L Bryant 37, D Atkinson 27no, M Coker 3 for 49, I Elliott 3 for 52). Maldon 138 (J Ainscough 43, I Elliott 24, G Bannister 21, J Grove 5 for 29). Exning (20) bt Maldon (6) by 107 runs.

Frinton 181 for 8 (M Jones 78, J Hambrook 27, T Mills 3 for 29, A Janzahabib 3 for 54). *Mildenhall 137 (A Trett 33, R Cross 28, A Janzhabib 20, T Stubbs 4 for 46, T Moulton 3 for 25). Frinton ((19) bt Mildenhall (6) by 44 runs.

*Woolpit 356 for 3 (A Northcote 185no, D Crame 115). Haverhill 213 for 8 (A Dellar 87, D Brown 54, R Singh 29, C Rutterford 5 for 26). Woolpit (19) bt Haverhill (6) by 143 runs.

Division Two

*Braintree 165 (S Jones 72, W Jackson 34no). Lakenheath 167 for 7 (Rob Horrex 30, D Reynolds 26no, S Leech 26). Lakenheath (20) bt Braintree (6) by 3 wkts.

*Brightlingsea 165 (S Baker 58, R Minshull 32, K Rodrigo 25, E Suett 3 for 41). Witham 169 for 3 (C Barton 48no, J Suett 46, R Green 45). Witham (20) bt Brightlingsea (3) by 7 wkts.

Woodbridge 84 (I Reed 5 for 35, D Sykes 3 for 36). *Brockley 85 for 5 (J Jones 29). Brockley (20) bt Woodbridge (2) by 5 wkts.

Easton 156 for 8 (G Mitchell 52no, C Branch 46, T Benham 33, D White 3 for 39). *Elmstead Grasshoppers 157 for 3 (M Perrin 58, D White 36no, J Butcher 34). Elmstead (19) bt Easton (4) by 7 wkts.

Dunmow 164 (J Down 35, C Barker 28, M Spence 4 for 23). *Hadleigh 166 for 4 (T Piddington 42no, K Ellis 30no, M Spence 26, M Dias 26). Hadleigh (20) bt Dunmow (5) by 6 wkts.

*Ipswich & East Suffolk 220 (A Marshall 76, K Mildenhall 46, M Worne 28, H Foster 6 for 60, J Willsher 3 for 82). East Bergholt 152 (N Philpot 40, H Foster 30, J Barnett 28, J Tingey 20, K Mildenhall 5 for 14). IES (20) bt East Bergholt (8) by 68 runs.

Division Three

Stowmarket 172 (M Gill 46, K Holland 37, B Barker 27, D Coyle 7 for 40). *Clacton II 173 for 6 (J Nabi Noor 55, D Coyle 38no, D Fitzpatrick 30). Clacton II (20) bt Stowmarket (6) by 4 wkts.

Lt Bardfield Village 122 (J Newman 51, R Measor 5 for 41). *Copford 123 for 4 (P Kligermann 29no). Copford (20) bt Bardfield (3) by 6 wkts.

Mildenhall II 254 for 3 (A Reynolds 127no, F Preston 54no, L Turner 30). *Felixstowe 110 (M Smith 39, D Snell 22, B Tippett 5 for 29). Mildenhall II (20) bt Felixstowe (2) by 144 runs.

Sudbury II 175 for 8 (M Wooderson 45no, J Poulson 29, L Brooks 24, P Cooper 3 for 52). *Halstead II 179 for 1 (N Dakin 98, W Clark 69no). Halstead II (19) bt Sudbury II (4) by 9 wkts.

Coggeshall II 139 for 8 (S Blackwell 38, T Peperell 3 for 39). *Kelvedon & Feering 140 for 3 (J Baker 52, A Parker 51no). Kelvedon (19) bt Coggeshall II (3) by 7 wkts.

Bury St Edmunds II 158 (P Godden 37, J Sturgeon 34, O Magnus 26, J Nichol 23, C Woollard 4 for 33, C Estlea 4 for 45). *Worlington 159 for 2 (C Estlea 66, G Ford 46no, J Watson 30). Worlington (20) bt Bury II (4) by 8 wkts.

Division Four

Ipswich & ES II 183 for 9 (E Pink 68, J Hamblin 61, T Debenham 25, R Southall 3 for 36, T Watson 3 for 42). *Ipswich II 185 for 1 (L Bose 91no, S Gibson 59no, S Webb-Snowling 26). Ipswich II (19) bt IES II (4) by 9 wkts.

Woolpit II 168 (J Bradwell 70, J Firth 21, H Walters 4 for 27). *Long Melford 170 for 2 (H Walters 105no, N Wright 32). Long Melford (20) bt Woolpit II (4) by 8 wkts.

*Needham Market 165 for 8 (R Hill 43, J Wade 39, S Mortimer 22, S Lawson 4 for 24). Exning II 169 for 3 (S Readman 55, O Lawson 37no). Exning II (19)0 bt Needham Market (4) by 7 wkts.

*Yoxford 394 for 3 (A Dumesny 169, D Cialini 98, C Mears 77, R Marston 36no). St Margarets 260 for 5 (I Booth 85, C Mutton 63). Yoxford (17) bt St Margarets (6) by 134 runs.

*Wivenhoe II 258 for 5 (C Kelly 92, J Fowler 65, G Dunstan 48, K Welsh 22). Hadleigh II 227 for 8 (I Thoroughgood 71, N Abdul 51, R Checketts 41). Wivenhoe II (19) bt Hadleigh II (7) by 31 runs.

Division Five

*Bury St Edmunds III 304 for 5 (B Bellwood 80, S Nunn 79, P Thearle 35, A Smith 33no, D Woodrow 3 for 64). Abberton II 109 (D Booker 26, T Vivek 5 for 14, S Cordell 3 for 14). Bury III (20) bt Abberton II (3) by 195 runs.

*Frinton II 185 for 9 (T Sinclair 38, J Butcher 30, J Hall 28, P Williams 23, D Saunders 4 for 46, O Coe 3 for 30). Kelvedon & Feering II 186 for 7 (R Morrell 73, T Smith 31no, S King 29, W Shortridge 20, N Patel 3 for 49). Kelvedon II (19) bt Frinton II (7) by 3 wkts.

*Great Bromley 271 (R Lawson 108, R Wareing 69, M Wareing 28, T Armstrong 4 for 50, C Shukla 3 for 56). Harwich & Dovercourt 162 (N Cowley 30, W Poole 29, J King 23, A Rudkin 23). Gt Bromley (20) bt Harwich (8) by 109 runs.

Boxted 235 for 5 (R Khaira 85no, I Evans 51, R Pickford 20). *Maldon II 204 for 9 (J Ellis 53, H Whiley 34, S Coker 32, I Evans 3 for 33). Boxted (19) bt Maldon II 7) by 31 runs.

Earls Colne 176 for 9 (S Wilsher 55, J Bonnet 36, J Beaumont 4 for 31). *Mildenhall III 177 for 2 (R Clark 76no, J Taylor 51). Mildenhall III (19) bt Earls Colne (5) by 8 wkts.

*Witham II 150 (J Rogers 52, L Homewood 3 for 7, M Brown 3 for 35). Brightlingsea II 117 (R Goodwin 36, M Brown 26, C Holyman 24, R Howes 7 for 18). Witham II (20) bt Brightlingsea II (6) by 33 runs.

Division Seven

*Ipswich IV 232 for 5 (C Johnson 66, T Bowdler 45, N Elford 41). Felixstowe II 226 (D Bennett 101, H Green 51, M Cade 27, M Parker 24, D Martin 5 for 54). Ipswich IV (20) bt Felixstowe II (7) by 6 runs.

Division Nine

*Eight Ash Green 257 for 4 (J Warner 120no, R Polley 39, P Johnson 31). Bury St. Edmunds IV 104 (A Urquart 47, G D’Anna 3 for 16). Eight Ash Green (20) bt Bury IV (3) by 153 runs.

Division C

*Coggeshall 134. Clacton 137 for 3. Clacton (20) bt Coggeshall (3) by 7 wkts.

*Copdock & OIs 130. Kelvedon & Feering 132 for 2. Kelvedon (20) bt Copdock (3) by 8 wkts.

*Frinton v Wivenhoe result not received.

Ladies’ Challenge

*Ipswich 180 for 3. Easton 145 for 8. Ipswich (19) bt Easton (6) by 35 runs.

* denotes home team