OMBERSLEY travelled to Tettenhall to play the Old Wulfs in a confident manner for their first game of the season in Birmingham League Division Three.

Two excellent victories in pre-season games over Division One sides Old Hill and Sutton Coldfield had given the village team cause for optimism and this was justified as they returned with the maximum 24 points and a 34-run victory.

Three players made their league debuts for Ombersley, including 15-year-old Brett D'Oliveria who has followed his older brothers Marcus and Dominic into the first XI and all three have now matched their father Damien in representing the club.

Simon Mason from Western Australia - the brother of Worcestershire pace bowler Matt Mason - also played his first league match as did Tom Oakley who excelled behind the stumps, claiming three victims.

The Ombersley captain Neil Slade went to the wrong ground but, when he did arrive, he immediately lost the toss so Ombersley were asked to bat.

At 162-1 with only Joey Robinson out early for 15, the visitors looked well set as Phil Burden was anchoring the innings to fine effect.

However, former Worcestershire all-rounder Duncan Catterall was then out for a well-made 74, which featured 12 fours and a six, and the middle order contributed nothing as the next five wickets fell for just 20 runs with Parker and the Indian spinner Virk getting Old Wulfs into the game.

Ombersley did rally a little towards the end of their 55 overs with Brett D'Oliveria making an encouraging start with 12 not out as he and Burden took the score to a respectable - but perhaps disappointing - 240-6.

Burden was superb throughout but unluckily finished just four short of his century with 96 not out.

The game was evenly poised as the very youthful Ombersley side took to the field.

For Old Wulfs, Virk and Ancaster made good scores of 69 and 61 respectively while Catterall and Slade took two wickets each.

Nick Dale-Lace bowled 14 excellent overs of leg spin but it was Mason who caught the eye with five wickets.

The home team were batting for a draw by the time the last five overs came and they looked to have made the game secure.

However, Perth-based Mason led Ombersley to a wellconstructed win by dismissing last batsman Nutting lbw with just seven balls remaining.

Ombersley's second XI lost the reverse fixture by eight wickets.

They only managed 163 all out with some very inept batting and Old Wulfs cruised home with eight wickets and plenty of overs in hand.