Billy has been at Sudbury since he was 13, previously coached by his dad Chris and Gestingthorpe CC. At the age of 16 he was a regular first team bowler for Sudbury – no mean feat in a discipline dominated by age and experience – and we hope it may be the start of something bigger.

Jon Kent and expectant wife Kelly arrived safely on Friday, and he was absolutely focused on the season ahead when I spoke to him in the evening. Both were really pleased to be back in Sudbury and looking forward to a good summer of cricket.

Unfortunately for Jon he proved in too good a form on the back of his 20/20 final, as he played too early on a stopping delivery on Saturday and was caught and bowled for just four, a minor blip in what we hope will be another cracking year for him.

It was a disappointing weekend on the whole. Saturday saw the first team's defeat at home to Copdock being bowled out for 64 chasing 225, only Pete Siegert and Graeme Oakes showed any resistance or application.

Bowling first Moulton-Day pulled up early with a strain – hopefully nothing too serious – leaving us short of seam options. Kent bowled very well, picking up a few wickets. He also had plenty of very close lbw shouts turned down.

The veteran spinner Andy Simmons and the effervescent Mathew Wooderson then bowled a long spell of spin to keep Copdock down to a par score, however it proved more than enough as the our innings petered into submission.

Guy Robins' second team fared slightly better in their new division 4 league – but lost by two wickets after a brave fight. On the plus side young keeper Adam Mansfield was very tidy with one catch and only one bye let through, crucial in close games.

We picked up six points in defeat, something that had we have done last year on the losing games, might have saved us from relegation.

Sunday's results looked no better than Saturday's. The Sunday firsts went to Worlington with a strong team and high hopes, Ed Holt (57) and Dave Shropshire (18) putting on 70 for the first wicket before the latter pulled up lame, and Jon Kent scored a determined 25 before timing one too well to mid-wicket.

The total of 180-8 was a little lower than the start suggested but plenty to defend. Worlington have a strong Sunday team, they pipped us to the title last year, and their batting strength showed as they cantered to 140-2.

Then Kent came into the action and bowled tightly, taking two crucial wickets to reduce the visitors to needing eight to win from the last over. Tom Lockwood bowled very well restricting them to five off the first five balls with two runouts.

A scampered two then saw the scores level and a tie, but as Worlington lost only six wickets to our eight they won the points, and a disappointed Chris Powell returned to Sudbury still searching for a 2008 win.

The division C team travelled to Copdock full of their usual youth players mixed with some older heads.