Upper Wharfedale started the cricket season well with a win in a pre-season friendly at Scarborough Cricket Club.

The North Marine Road ground basked in sunshine as the team was given the re-mitt to make the most of the grand opportunity of playing at the county ground.

The new opening partnership of Chris Baines and new recruit Adam Yates started briskly with Baines pulling the third ball majestically for six into the stands. Both players made good starts and may regret giving it away in their 20s.

Jake Starkey and Dave Eggleton also made starts and made solid partnership of 53 to set up a sprint to the finish from the lower order.

Good contributions from Dan Russell, Seb Richardson, Casper Bean and the big hitting Tom Baines saw the innings close at 171 for 7. This was perhaps 20 runs short on a slow but firm Scarborough wicket.

However, with places in the first team up for grabs the bowlers where keen to impress. Josh Gill removed opener Gibson first ball, the catch smartly taken at gully by Nattress. Gill struck again in the third over with an in-swinging yorker that removed the middle-stump of the other opener.

At the other end Dave Daggett was starting where he left off last season, asking questions every ball. He could have had five wickets had he had the support of his fielders. Wharfedale’s fielding kept the seasiders in the game.

On first team debut Sam McElhinney bowled well ripping his leg spin through the deck, and whilst unrewarded in wickets will be pushing for a place in the first team.

Scarborough finished just six runs shy of the target largely thanks to a great spell from Tom Baines who bowled well at the death. He is a welcome return to the side and on current form continues to put pressure on the first team players.