Buttershaw St Paul’s made a dreadful start to the new Central Yorkshire League campaign when they were skittled for just 55 at Hopton Mills in their Division One clash.

A seven-wicket haul from Buttershaw’s Mistry brothers seemed to put them in the driving seat as Hopton closed on 119-7 but the Bradford side were bowled out for 55 in just 25 overs.

Liversedge visit St Paul’s Road in an early return fixture, Sedge having won last week’s Heavy Woollen Cup game at Robbertown by ten runs.

There was a 101-run win over Methley A to get them off to a good start, while Birstall take on Batley in the first derby clash of the season following an opening-day six-wicket defeat at Carlton.

Close-season recruiting was aimed at avoiding a repeat of last year’s relegation scrap for the Leeds Road men but Carlton hadn’t read the script. Nick Kaye, one of five juniors involved in this game, top-scored for Birstall with 38 not out but a four-wicket return from Chris Kippax helped restrict them to 120.

There was better news the following day when new boys Eric Austin (65) and Rob Macfarlane (45) helped secure a ten-run win over Golcar in the Heavy Woollen Cup to set up a home tie with Bradford League side Baildon.

Yorkshire all rounder Richard Pyrah saw his Ossett side make an inauspicious start as his side slumped to 82 all out at Hunslet Nelson, the home side’s Hammill took 6-8 in 6.2 overs in a four wicket win for Hunslet.

This was followed by a Heavy Woollen Cup defeat at the hands of Hanging Heaton.

Tomorrow, Ossett take on Mirfield Parish Cavaliers for a game which doesn’t promise much respite.

Parish did have a nightmare first day, losing to champions Wrenthorpe by 101 runs, but they showed their potential as they hit back with a two-wicket cup win over Methley thanks to 106 not out from Ibra Latif.

Former Cleckheaton batsman Marcus Walmsley hit 100 in the Methley innings.