The DUCC 1st XI began their season in fine style last Saturday, April 7th, with a healthy 42 run win over touring English side Sunbury CC. Winning the toss on a sunny morning in College Park, captain Eoghan Delany decided to bat and unfortunately found himself wandering to the centre at 10-2 after 3.3 overs, Sunbury's opening left-arm seamer Nichols having removed Pike with his first ball. Bouch had followed soon after with a slight bit of misfortune, the ball richocheting off his elbow into the stumps from another Nichols delivery. Two overs from Kalsi at the other end had also been tight, barring a short ball that Richard Forrest dispatched over the trees.

Delany and Forrest set about rebuilding the innings, mixing caution with the odd boundary before finding a steady rhythm to take the score to 92. Forrest then departed slightly tamely, chipping back to Sunbury's left-arm spinner, having hit some great shots in a well-made 40. Eoghan Conway joined the fray and saw Delany reach his 50 soon after. The two played with freedom and ease, Conway being typically strong off his legs while Delany kept his score ticking over with plenty of singles down the ground. The Sunbury bowling attack was mixed up but failed to produce a wicket and the score reach 200-3 with 5 overs of the 45 remaining, Conway having reached 50 soon before. Delany, on 92, swung a six over the leg-side boundary and followed this with a four very next ball to reach his century with muted celebration. Attempts to clear long-on very next ball failed and he departed for 102. Minch joined Conway to take the score to 252-4, Conway having hit some huge sixes to finish on 83* and Minch rotating the strike well. Minch fell on the last ball of the innings, DUCC closing on 252-5 from 45 overs.

After the interval, things started poorly in the field. Debutant Wian Verwoerd found a nice line and length at times and was unlucky when Forrest couldn't hold the first chance behind the stumps. Anwar from the other end settled into his usual rhythm after loosening up, although Sunbury's openers played without care and took the score to 80-0. Dhruv Kapoor, also debutising, replaced Anwar from the College Green End, and found the first breakthrough when his appeal for LBW was successful. Still, however, the score raced on as Sunbury captain Ollie Roland-Jones showed all the same intent of the openers. Captain Delany mixed up the attack, bringing Minch's off-spinners on from the Westland Row End and himself at the other. Minch bowled with good control and didn't get more than the one wicket he certainly deserved. Delany picked up 3 with his left-arm spin, but at 173-5 from just 26 overs, Sunbury were very much the favourites with Irish international Stuart Poynter at the crease and playing well, particularly through the off-side.

Fortunes changed quickly, however, with the return of Anwar. Swapping ends, he bowled two outstanding overs for just 1 run and a wicket as he found the perfect area just short of a length. His efforts rubbed off on Verwoerd at the other end, who finished his remaining 4 overs to pick up three vital wickets without conceding a boundary, including that of Poynter with a well-disguised slower ball. Anwar's brief spell gave way to Kapoor, who continued the excellent control. With 46 required off just 5 overs, he finished the innings off quickly with 2 wickets in his final over to give DUCC the win by 42 runs.