FLAMSTEAD star Tim Wilkinson started as he finished last season taking six wickets against Dunstable Thirds in Division Seven on Saturday.

Division Seven

Dunstable III 159-10 (51.1) Flamstead 113-10 (46.3)

FLAMSTEAD star Tim Wilkinson started as he finished last season taking six wickets against Dunstable Thirds in Division Seven on Saturday.

Following their sensational campaign in Division Eight last term, Flamstead were looking to make a fine start and on a wet wicket skipper Andy Taylor inserted the visitors. Wilkinson reduced Dunstable to 9-2 and then to 54-4.

Young colt Robert Gibson took an outstanding catch in the deep to give Wilkinson a five-for and spinner Mark Ridley struck to make it 119-6.

Dave 'Twiggy' Rogers inspired a late collapse with 3-44 off 10 overs and chairman Wilkinson finished with 6-56 off 25.1 overs with nine maidens. Daniels top scored with 46 as Dunstable were all out for 159.

The Flamstead top order struggled to make an impression on the reply with only David Oswin showing good form. Oswin made 44 before he was out lbw and father and son bowling combination Alan (6-24) and Terry Carr (3-25) shot Flamstead out for 113.

Flamstead skipper Andy Taylor was not too downhearted. He said: "We started last season with a defeat but still managed to end up champions of Division Eight so perhaps the signs are there again. A target of 160 was always going to be hard to achieve on a slow damp wicket and we were short of a couple of the successful batsmen from last year. I thought our fielding was excellent and the bowling of our chairman was almost faultless.