Saints got their NCL Premier Division season off to a flying start with a 220-run beating of Burton Latimer at a breezy Birchfield Road East on Saturday.
Skipper Chris Park had gone into the game frustrated as his team had been unable to play a pre-season friendly due to fencing problems at the ground, but he needn’t have been concerned as his players hit their straps in impressive style.
Saints piled on 280 for three from 50 overs with Alec Swann (61), Joe Collins (82), Park (72no) and Jake Higginbotham (47no) all making good runs.
That proved to be more than enough, as Saints opening pair of Mark Wolstenholme (6-28) and Higginbotham (3-22) ran through the visitors’ batting line-up, whipping them out for 60 with 45 overs to spare.
Horton House are also celebrating an opening day win, after they saw off Wellingborough Town by 85 runs at Denton Road.
The villagers didn’t win a game until late July last season, but they are up and running already this time around.
Horton’s batsmen did a steady job as they posed 175 for nine in their 55 overs, with Thomas Leonard (44), Akash Shah (37) and Andrew Morrison (39) all in the runs.
Horton’s bowling attack then proved too good for Borough to handle, with Norhants quickie Luke Evans claiming three for 12 and Andrew Neate three for 33.
The only Borough batsman to make any headway was their Northants import Christian Davis, who hit 40.
Old Northamptonians didn’t start the season as they would have wished as they were beaten by 50 runs by Brixworth at Billing Road.
The home side would have fancied their chances as Brixworth were restricted to 176 for nine, with Tom Webb and Afaq Babar taking three wickets apiece.
For Brixworth, Fred Newborough top scored with 42.
But former ONs man Ross McLean proved too lively for the home side as the snared three for 18 to help rush out ONs for just 126.
Stony Stratford played their first game at their new home at Campbell Park in Milton Keynes, and lost by six wickets to Wollaston.
Stony struggled with the bat as they made 132 for eight, and the visitors eased home.
Elsewhere, Oundle’s first game in the top flight saw them lost to Finedon Dolben.
In a low-scoring encounter, it was the home side’s seam attack who laid the foundations for victory as they dismissed the visitors for 147 after winning the toss.
Will Sneath was the pick with four for 39 and Jack Chopping and Chris Goode weighed in with two wickets apiece.
Jack Robinson made a defiant unbeaten 43 to give Oundle something to bowl at and when Finedon were reduced to 52 for four they were in with a shout.
But Jake Kings (33) and Grieg Hofbauer (25) steadied the ship and the three-wicket victory was achieved with more than 12 overs to spare.
Petrus Jefta and Bashrat Hussain shared six wickets between them but their efforts proved in vain.
Rushton made a strong start to the season as they had the better of a draw at defending champions Peterborough.
After being put in, Dan Bendon (79) and Ben Mansell (63) steered Rushton to a competitive 211 for six, Lewis Bruce taking three for 62 for the hosts.
David Clarke then made 84 but his effort was a lone hand as Peterborough settled for a share of the points as they closed on 177 for six with Marc Jackson taking three for 20.