NETHERFIELD Cricket Club registered their first win of the 2018 season after a dominant eight-wicket victory over bottom of the table Preston at Parkside Road.

Nathan Chambers, Marc Hadwin and Harrison Cox all took three wickets apiece to see Preston all out for just 80 off 30.4 overs in the first innings of Saturday’s encounter.

Jack Boyle’s undefeated second innings knock of 30 from 31 balls saw Netherfield close on 82-2 off just 12.1 overs to claim a comprehensive victory to kick start the defence of their Northern League title.

Netherfield, who for the first time this season won the toss, elected to field and opening bowlers Cox and Chambers set about preventing Preston from scoring any runs for the first few overs.

The constant pressure told after Chambers dismissed both Imran Parijwala and Asif Mahmood.

Parijwala was the first of the pair to lose his wicket after seeing his poor shot caught by John Huck.

Mahmood followed soon after when the number three batsman was clean bowled.

Preston tentatively moved onto 17 before Chambers took the third of his wickets, which cost him just 19 runs, when Mohammed Harish was dismissed following a good catch by Netherfield’s skipper Ben Barrow.

Raghuram Surapaneni and Jitendra Kumar offered some resistance for the visitors, before Lewis Richardson saw off Surapaneni who was caught behind by wicketkeeper Lewis Edge.

Marc Hadwin was brought into the bowling attack and he removed Abdul Rehman Shah, Jitendra Kumar and Nizam Patel – all of them being trapped leg before wicket, while Preston collapsed onto 71-7.

Harrison Cox then took his three wickets, for 18 runs, to clean up the Preston tail and prevent the visitors from imposing a big score at Parkside Road.

He bowled Rizwan Patel, Mohammed Ilyas and Munar Gurji, as Preston were all out for 80 off 30.4 overs closed

Ben Barrow and Brad Earl set about the run chase in emphatic fashion with a first wicket stand of 22.

Although Barrow was dismissed by Rizwan Patel, Netherfield surged further ahead through Earl and Jack Boyle.

Once Earl was dismissed by Patel for 21 off 20 balls, Boyle’s unbeaten 30 off 31 and John Huck’s undefeated 24 off 17 balls saw Netherfield close on 82-2 off 12.4 overs.

As a result of their first 15 point haul of the season, Netherfield climb up to fifth position in the Division One Table.

Newly-promoted Garstang Cricket Club continue to lead the way in the top flight with three wins and a losing draw from their opening four matches, giving them a total of 50 points.

Current title holders Netherfield are nine points behind.

Netherfield travel to play a Barrow side on Saturday who have had a mixed bag of results to begin the campaign.

From their four fixtures played, they have won twice and lost twice, leaving them in seventh position.

Last time out, they beat Fulwood and Broughton Cricket Club by three wickets at the Ernest Pass Memorial Ground.

NETHERFIELD XI:

Ben Barrow (captain), John Huck (vice-captain), Lewis Edge (wicketkeeper), Harrison Cox, Brad Earl, Josh Dixon, Marc Hadwin, Lewis Richardson, Nathan Chambers, Matt Jackson, Jack Boyle.