Forecasts of bad weather proved as wide of the mark as the bowling as new skip James Couldrey started his reign with a win in the Intra-Club match.

The Battersea-based southpaw’s side beat the side representing last year’s captain Giles Fagan yesterday in 21.3 of their alloted 30 overs to run home by 7 wickets.

Giles’s openers Leon Watson, with 31 not out, and Adam Majeed, with 30 not out, were both retired at the 30-run limit as Gilo’s team posted 160 for 5 on Clapham Common.

The rusty Giles will be kicking himself after falling for a first ball duck after top-edging a full-toss from Chris Herrick and Paul Graham was run out in his first outing on 6.

Mark Isham had fallen for 11, Raju Mazumder for 1 and Kiwi Jeremy Smith for a duck at the end before 19 from another debutant Sandeep Chhagan and 5 not out from Matt Small saw the innings close.

It was slow but steady going as the total was bolstered by a staggering 51 extras, of which 38 were wides.

Part-time spinner Dave Hughes returned the best figures for James, bagging the wickets of Mark Isham, on 11, and Matt Cocken, for 6.

Set 5.33 runs an over to win, Sham De Silva and Chris MacNichol, 11, began steadily before Sham, with 33 not out off 26 balls, and newboy Jamie Kirk, with 5, and Jack Caesar, who also reached the 30 limit off just 20 balls, started smashing their way towards the total.

Shailesh Joshi chipped in with a quick 18 before Dan Sherman, 9 not out, and the unbeaten Jamie Keating, with 11 hit the winning runs.

Giles and Amir Alipour were the only members of the former captain’s team to pick up a wicket.

Overall it was a comfortable win for James’s side which showed some encouraging signs before the season kicks off for real next weekend.