NEW professional Shaun Rashid, pictured, had an amazing impact on his first start for Cheadle as the club got their summer off to the best possible start.

Rashid picked up wickets with consecutive balls to leave the opposition reeling at 0-2 as Cheadle picked up 20 points for edging a low-scoring affair at Rode Park.

Rode Park were never to recover from Rashid's early breakthrough and the Lancastrian finished with 4-28 as the home side were skittled out for 99.

Skipper Simon Plant explained he had spoken of the importance of a good start at a team meeting last Thursday – and reckons he couldn't have asked for a better response.

He said: "We all know how fantastic a feeling it is to win and we had a little chat last week about getting off on the right foot.

"And, on Saturday, it was made nice and easy for me as a captain. We set off on a great note with Shaun's wickets and were always on top.

"With Chris Barker back, Adam Alcock set to return from America and Hamza Siddique also set to come back into the fold, it is a fantastic selection quandary to find ourselves with."

James Sellers, Plant and 18-year-old Ryan Harvey each chipped in with two wickets apiece as substitute professional David Adams – the brother of former Sussex captain Chris – top scored with 44.

Chasing 100 to win on a slow and low track was never going to be easy, and so it proved as Cheadle slipped to 23-3 and then 45-4. But Will Riley and Rashid then steadied the ship to take the score on to 64 before both fell in quick succession, Riley making 23.

It was Darren Plant who took the game in hand and saw the team home with an excellent knock of 23 not out to calm frayed nerves.

Simon Plant said: "On such a difficult pitch, even a low score of 100 was quite a difficult ask.

"And at 65-6, having lost Shaun and Will, who had batted superbly, there was a bit of a panic.

"But with Darren at the crease, I was always confident we would pull through and, hopefully, we can carry on like this for the rest of the season."

With confidence boosted, relegated Stafford are the visitors to Tean Road this Saturday for Cheadle's first home fixture of the season.