CAPTAIN Shehan Fernando led the way with bat and ball as Hale Barns first XI got their 2016 Cheshire Cricket League Division One campaign off to a flying start with a convincing eight-wicket win at Heaton Mersey.

The Aussie took three wickets and scored a half century to steer the side to 25 points.

Barns’ decision to put the hosts into bat was justified from the off as Ben Hicks and Chris Dodson tormented the Heaton Mersey top-order batsmen.

Hicks (0-36) was particularly economical, conceding just nine runs from his opening eight overs, but it was Dodson (2-20) who removed Aadil Fazal (four) and Hale Barns old-boy Tamoor Malik (two) in consecutive overs.

The visitors continued to dominate as Callum Schora (1-29) and Jack Wylie (1-16) claimed a wicket apiece to reduce the home team to 43-4 after 20 overs.

Opener Rob Lisney and Abbas Shah offered some stubborn resistance, adding 48 to the score for the fifth-wicket partnership, before Fernando (3-42) dismissed Lisney for a patient 45.

The captain took two more wickets in quick succession, including the wicket of Shah (28), to put Barns in the driving seat at 102-7.

But again, the hosts refused to go down without a fight, adding 54 from the final five overs as Ross Bailey hit a fluent 46 from just 22 deliveries to lead Heaton Mersey to 167-8 from their allotted overs.

Despite losing the momentum at the end of the first innings, Barns made a confident start to their reply, racing to 26-0 after just three overs.

Sujoy Jaiswal was forced to retire hurt after suffering with cramp, but Fernando joined vice captain Chris Colley at the crease and continued the attacking intent.

Together, the duo struck 19 boundaries and cleared the ropes twice each to ease the team to 140-0, with both players making half centuries.

But neither were able to see out the run chase, as Fernando (65) was caught attempting another big hit, while Colley (65) was adjudged lbw with Barns just 16 runs short of the target.

It was left to Peter Stubbs (10 not out) and Hicks (13no), with the latter hitting two huge sixes, to seal the victory with 11.4 overs to spare.