DROITWICH opened their Crusader Worcestershire League Division One campaign with a disappointing eight-wicket defeat at local rivals Redditch.

Spa were inserted on a wet track which the hosts’ opening bowlers Russell Southwick (3-15) and Gagandeep Singh found to their liking.

Singh in particular found a length that the Spa batsmen were unable to cope with and he finished with a well-deserved six-wicket haul.

The only stand which looked like producing a challenging Droitwich total was between experienced campaigners Paul Bryan and Ian Cotrill. However, along with their dismissals, went Droitwich’s best hope as the visitors crumbled to a poor 74 all out.

In reply, Phil Thomas picked up a wicket in the second over to give Droitwich brief hope, but Spa were unable to find the demons in the pitch that the home side had exploited.

With Southwick (53) in good form with bat as well as ball, Redditch cruised home.

Droitwich now host Romsley on Saturday (1.30pm).