FOLLOWING last season's promotion, East Harling began life in Norfolk League Division Two with a win.They travelled to Civil Service, a side who had narrowly avoided the drop last season.

FOLLOWING last season's promotion, East Harling began life in Norfolk League Division Two with a win.

They travelled to Civil Service, a side who had narrowly avoided the drop last season.

Skipper Barry Wells won the toss and asked the home team to bat first on what looked to be a good, hard wicket.

This decision was quickly vindicated as the experienced opening attack of Andrew Macrow and Steve Fowler soon had their hosts in trouble, Macrow bowling Collinson for a duck in his second over.

With seven out of the first eight overs being maidens the score struggled to four.

A minor flurry boosted the score before Macrow had Nicholls (7) caught at slip by Stuart Hilton, the first of three identical dismissals as Davis (0) and then Sturgess (6) also departed edging Macrow to Hilton at slip, 29-4 from 21 overs.

Fowler having bowled an excellent 10-over spell of left arm swing, without any luck, made way for Hilton's off-spin, immediately adding to his three slip catches by having Foan caught and bowled.

Macrow then completed his 12-over spell with a fifth wicket as Mallins was stumped by Wells at 31-6.

Any thoughts of a respite were soon dispelled as Stuart Ayton eagerly joined in, picking up the wickets of Bales and Spencer, before Hilton finally removed number three Kemp (18), giving Matt Jubb his second slip catch of the afternoon, with the home sideten men dismissed for a meagre 62.

Good reward for some excellent fielding to back up the bowlers, with Andrew Macrow's 12-7-12-5 the pick of the figures. S Fowler 10-5-14-0, S Hilton 6-0-15-2 and S Ayton 5-0-17-2.

Whether Rob Free and Ross Pickerill are able to get close to last year's joint aggregate of 1,311 remains to be seen, but 63 without loss inside 16 overs was an encouraging start.

Free, after being rapped on the gloves a couple of times by Spencer, soon got to grips with the bounce, hitting nine fours in his 47 not out as Pickerill played the supporting role finishing with 12 not out, taking Harling to a comfortable 10-wicket victory.