STEETON'S first XI made a good start with bat and ball in their season opener at home to Tong Park, but they failed to sustain their performance throughout, and crashed to a disappointing five-wicket defeat.

Overseas player Will Forster contributed an impressive 45 and his stand of 92 with Freddie Pearson looked to have set Steeton up nicely. Pearson hit eight boundaries, including two sixes, in his 52 to give the home side a solid foundation.

When Jake Starkey blasted 22 from 11 balls after being promoted up the order, Steeton were well set at 127-3. However, a dreadful batting collapse saw them slip to 139 all out, leaving them with a mountain to climb in the field.

When Tong slipped to 3-3 after two overs, Steeton were right back in the game. Paul Hardwick took two of those wickets and he claimed a third after a fine low catch at point by Pearson. He finished with 3-39 from his nine overs.

When James Emmott (1-29) removed Tong's opener Waleed Akhtar for 20, the home side remained well in the contest. However a big fifth-wicket stand between Gareth Wilkinson and Andy Oliver saw the visitors home.

Steeton's second team fared better in their clash with Tong, winning by one wicket away from home in a low-scoring thriller.

Youngster Ewan Johnson ran riot against the home side's top order and he finished with incredible figures of 3-6. Bradley Akrigg took 3-19, and with Zaggy Pearson and Gary Boulton claiming two each, Steeton looked set for an easy win.

However, they found batting just as tough on a slow, damp track and they soon collapsed to 30-5. Oliver Gledhill being the only member of the top six to reach double figures with 14.

Luke Watson was fighting a lone battle to keep Steeton in the game but their chance looked to have passed when they found themselves 94-9.

However, last man Callum Lowe held his nerve and he and Wilson added the 10 runs necessary for victory. Wilson finished on 40 not out in a memorable batting performance.

Harden fell to a bruising defeat at New Rover, going down by a mammoth 93 runs. Wicket keeper Matthew Dinsdale notched 74 for the home side, as he put on 143 with Samuel Hills.

Hills hit 55 and with Rahat Shah scoring 73 at the back end of the innings, Harden were left chasing 318 to win.

Harden struggled throughout their innings, with the exception being a glorious century from Joshua Brooksbank.

He failed to find anyone to complement his 103 though, and although Andy Bailey hit a late 30 not out down the order, Harden never really got close to their opponents' score.