Ragley got their league campaign off to a winning start under the guidance of new captain Adam Warbrick and it was the captain who was to the fore to bring this victory about.

In a game reduced to 40 overs a side Ragley were asked to bat first on a dampish wicket. They lost openers Michael Bennett (4) and Ben Lee (4) to leave the score on 10-2 after 7 overs. Warbrick was in at number 3 and he batted fluently to get the score to 44 before he was the 3rd out after he had made 21. Gary Strain and Lewis Clark made light of the conditions as the score accelerated to 100-3 when Clark was bowled for 26, including 2 big sixes off the bowling of Currell. Strain held the final part of the innings together as he top scored with a very well made 48 before becoming Ashley Hurrell’s 3rd wicket. Ju Reader was the last man out as he was run out off the final ball of the innings as Ragley posted 145 all out in their 40 overs, a total that gave them a chance in bowler friendly conditions.

They got a dream start as opening bowlers Marc Woolley and Reader picked up the openers in the 4th and 5th overs respectively to leave Moreton on 14-2. New batsmen Henshall and Hurell weathered the storm as the Ragley bowlers kept the pressure up and the scoring down but Woolley and Reader ended their spells with no further wickets and the scored had inched along to 30-2 from 14 overs. The game was turned on its head at this point as the spin of Warbrick was introduced into the attack. He struck in his first over to remove Henshall for 12 as he was lbw. The game swung back to Ragley as 4 further wickets fell in the next 7 overs, 3 to Warbrick with Steve Capron chipping in with the other. Moreton were now on 60-7 after 23 overs. Hurrell still remained in and was looking to be Moreton’s only chance of getting anywhere near the amount required for victory. He lifted the score to 80 until he was Warbrick’s 5th victim when he was lbw for 25. Warbrick’s 6th wicket came 2 balls later and the victory was all but assured at 80-9. The last wicket pair had some lusty blows with Luker to the fore before he was bowled by Warbrick with the score on 98 in the 32nd over to leave Ragley winners by the large margin of 47 runs in such a low scoring game. Warbrick celebrated his first league match in charge by returning remarkable figures of 7-16,  the second best for Ragley in league cricket and the best for 31 years.