DEBUTANT John Purchese starred with the bat as Hale Barns' first XI kicked off their Cheshire Cricket League Division One campaign in style with a convincing 83-run victory at Congleton.

Having been inserted by the hosts, opening pair Joe Fretwell-Walsh (21) and Joe Cooper (17) safely negotiated the first 10 overs with the score on 44.

But the momentum swung in Congleton’s favour when three wickets in quick succession, including a double-wicket maiden for Sean Cardall (2-32), restricted the visitors to 48-3.

Purchese entered the crease for the first time in Hale colours and immediately displayed his ability with a classy knock, ably assisted by Khawar Iqbal.

The duo added 50 for the fifth-wicket partnership until Iqbal became Jack Higginbotham’s second victim for a well-made 31 as Barns attempted to accelerate the run rate at 134-5 with eight overs remaining.

Higginbotham claimed his third dismissal in the form of Purchese, but not before the new batsman reached a deserved half century, eventually making 59, including nine boundaries.

And the game was finely balanced at the halfway stage as Jack Goode (4-30) cleaned up the lower order cheaply, while Higginbotham (4-57) removed Ben Hicks for a better-than-run-a-ball 23 as Hale Barns posted a competitive target of 175.

In reply, Barns made significant early inroads as new captain Chris Dodson and Hicks sent both openers back to the pavilion inside five overs.

Having been reduced to 4-2, Simon Prime and Higginbotham tried to recover the run chase, but the latter was soon out to a spectacular slip catch by Cooper for 14.

And Congleton were in deeper trouble when Dodson (3-6) and Dave Saddington (3-9) dismissed two more batsmen without troubling the scorers to leave the home side reeling on 31-5.

Goode (19) provided some resilience alongside the stubborn Prime, but the resistance was short-lived as they collapsed from 59-5 to 59-8, including the wicket of Prime for 20.

With the win seemingly in the bag, Dave Moors threatened to produce a terrific rearguard effort as he frustrated the Hale bowling attack for more than 15 overs with the tail.

But his 53-ball 11 not out proved to be in vain as Fretwell-Walsh (2-22) and Hicks (2-33) finally took the remaining two wickets to secure a valuable 25 points for Hale Barns.