Western Stars eased to a comfortable 139-run win over North Village in the first round of the expanded Central Counties competition on Saturday.

Stars never looked in any serious danger of losing at St John’s Field and their total of 272 was always likely to be beyond Village.

Things may have been different if Village had held on to some of the 12 catches that they dropped, but those missed chances, coupled with the 81-run partnership that Brian Hall, the Stars captain, and Swayne Campbell put on for the fifth wicket, took the game away from the newcomers.

Hall made 79 to lead his side from 148 for four to 229 for five and even though Stars failed to bat out their overs, with Giovanni Warren the last man out to the first ball of Andrew Griffith’s tenth over, the damage had already been done. Griffith took four for 60, with Mike Levon Jr and Allen Walker, the Village captain, picking up two wickets apiece.

In reply, North Village lost wickets at regular intervals and despite Levon Jr’s battling 29 in the middle order were eventually bowled out for 133 in 41.1 overs. Swayne Campbell and Iseah Caines took two wickets each, with Naquan Smith and Warren contributing as well with the ball.

n Western Stars had an equally comfortable day yesterday in their First Division clash with PHC.

Bowling first, Stars restricted PHC to 141 in 44.5 overs, with the visiting side collapsing to their low total from 77 for one.

Seth Campbell and Brian Hall bagged two wickets apiece, and Hall then added an unbeaten 54 with the bat as Stars won by seven wickets.

Temiko Wilson finished 75 not out as he and Hall put on 127 for the fourth wicket after Stars had slipped to 18 for three at the start of their innings