Vale travelled to Winchelsea for their annual early season fixture.

Winning the toss, Vale saw themselves in relatively unfamiliar territory when skipper Chris Brook decided to bat first.

It was a bright sunny day which favoured batting and despite the early season fixture, the wicket seemed firm. Batting on the wicket was not easy at times with the bowling attack extracting indifferent bounce but Vale amassed a total of 212-9 dec thanks to the batting of Adam Wickens (20), Scott Price (19), James Pilbeam (14), Guy Wenham (27), Andy Hayes (80 not out) and a sizeable contribution of 38 from the 12th player who goes by the name of "Extras". Wickets came from Crouch (3-52), Dowdeswell (1-21), Pierce (3-26) and Cook (2-18).

Having lost opening bowler Stamp to injury whilst batting, the Vale bowlers set about the task of securing the season's first victory. Opening bowler Matt Bowles (1-23) struck in his first over removing Pope with a swinging yorker. At the other end Chris Kirkham (3-26) was steaming in and bowling well managing to remove the danger-man Cook for 18 off a lofted drive to Pilbeam who took a fine catch in the covers. First change bowler Guy Wenham was immediately successful and bowled Vale into a winning position with figures of (5-20) off his 10 overs including a fine one handed catch from Kirkham at short leg. Scott Price also chipped in with (1-4) with Jury (16 not out) the only other Winchelsea batsman providing resistance in Winchelsea's total of 91.