WORCESTERSHIRE Cricket Boa-rd's over 50s team have played in the Inter County Over 50s Championship for many years, but 2006 has seen the launch of an over 60s team.

Recently, counties in South East England recognised that many over 50s players were getting long in the tooth but still played club cricket and wished to continue inter county games -- thus an over 60s Championship was born.

Worcestershire are in the lucky position of not only having the over 50s team, but also the Fossils club from Worcester, who play two or three games per week and provide a large pool of talent.

In their first ever fixture, the county's sexagenarian side took on Surrey Over 60s at Tadworth, but the game could not be completed because of bad weather.

However, there were some promising signs for the team in what play was possible.

Surrey won the toss and elected to bat and the visitors gained their first success in the third over when Cliff Rawlings trapped home opener Roy Collins lbw.

The pace of left-armer Rawlings and the spin of Martin Woodward prevented Surrey from accelerating the run rate and a catch from Colin Groves at slip gave Rawlings a second wicket in the ninth over with the score on 20.

A well-taken catch by Bob Rogers gave Woodward a des-erved wicket, but Bennett and Kigan staged a recovery to take the score to 49 before Rawlings bowled Bennett for 18.

Rawlings finished his allotted nine overs with figures of 3-18.

Bob Deaves claimed two wickets as Worcestershire continued to restrict Surrey and the hosts stumbled to 66-6 off 26 overs.

Unfortunately the drizzle, which had started a few overs earlier, turned to steady rain and, despite an early tea, no more play was possible.