A NEW season and a new start for Acle CC with Dave Huggins taking over the reins as captain of the Alliance Premier team and enjoying a winning opening to the campaign.

A NEW season and a new start for Acle CC with Dave Huggins taking over the reins as captain of the Alliance Premier team and enjoying a winning opening to the campaign.

Despite things going wrong pre-season including a number of injuries and people unavailable, Acle went into their NJ Hunt-sponsored game in confident mood following their best-ever finish as runners-up in 2009.

Diss elected to field first, but soon began to regret their decision as Rob Porter began to destroy the opening attack. Acle did lose some early wickets, with four of the top five going cheaply, including South African recruit Hugo Nel.

But with the run rate still good, Geoff Handley joined Porter and showed maturity as he steadied the ship while Porter continued to attack the Diss bowlers. When Handley departed for 23, Paul Munford joined Porter and the two experienced Acle batsmen put on a stand of 60 before Porter was caught behind off Germon for an impressive 122.

A few more lusty blows from Munford, and then Josh Rowe and Darren Ward ensured that Acle collected all five batting points and finished on a total of 229-8.

Acle put Diss under pressure straight away with Rowe trapping Wilby lbw for three. David Tooke, Dawson and Robert Tooke put up some resistance, but excellent spells of bowling from Shaun Roberts, Rob Porter and Hugo Nel put the skids under the Diss response.

And once the Tooke brothers had departed there wasn't much more resistance from the Diss batsmen. Josh Rowe clinched the last wicket of Gooderham to claim the win for Acle, but bowling honours went to Hugo Nel who claimed 5-33 from his 12 overs on his league debut. Lowestoft made 163.

A very tough game to come as Acle travel to Vauxhall Mallards for the second game of their league campaign.

NJ Hunt MoM: Rob Porter for his 122, closely followed by Hugo Nel's 5-33.