Yorkshire over-60s first team made a great start in their bid to capture the Division One title in the first weekend of Veterans County Championship competition at Milton Keynes.

The Yorkshire squad of Steve Kosmowsky, Richard Priestley, Keith Powell and Linda Simpson narrowly missed out to Essex in last season’s competition but were without Simpson for one of the weekends.

A strong lady player is crucial at this level as they play in three of the ten sets and Simpson proved her worth in the team’s trio of victories.

Yorkshire produced a fine all-round performance in all three matches to take an early advantage at the halfway stage.

They overcame Hertfordshire 7-3 and followed with 8-3 wins over Berkshire and Sussex.

Kosmowsky won four out of six singles playing in the No 1 spot, Priestley took five out of six at No 2 and Powell added three out of six at No 3.

Simpson was successful in all three of her singles and the doubles combinations also came up trumps as Priestley and Kosmowsky won their three encounters, while Simpson took five out of six mixed doubles with Powell and Kosmowsky.

Yorkshire hold a point advantage over Essex and Kent ahead of the concluding weekend, which takes place in February with matches against Worcestershire, Kent, Essex and Surrey.

* RESULTS – Bradford League, Division One: Highdale C 0, Highdale B 10. Division Three: Hermits X 2, Embassy C 8; Rastrick 4, Hermits X 6. Division Five: Unity E 1, Hermits H 9; Hermits J 5, Thornbury.

Burton Cup: Fastbats B 2, Unity A 7; Dewsbury Sedbergh 5, Fastbats A 2.

Tony Theobould Trophy: Yeadon 435, Hermits K 407; Unity E 412, Hermits A 460; Laisterdyke C 478, Hermits B 468; Hermits H 556, Highdale D 518; Unity D 444, Hermits J 385; Baildon A 524, Hermits C 535; Hermits E 467, Hermits D 520; Salem 449, Fastbats B 455; Pudsey 463, Thornbury 430; Fastbats D 426, Unity C 407; Hermits I 514, Hermits F 565; Baildon B 585, Baildon C 563; Fastbats C 486, Hermits G 490.