A HAT-trick from Tony Ball set up an edgy finish as Parkend finally opened their season.

Highnam had been set 119 but the loss of three wickets when 10 runs shy split the game wide open.

This should have been Parkend's fourth game of the season but the previous three had all been cancelled.

Things got off to the worst possible start when opener Ben Andrew was caught by Premey Jain off the bowling of Tom Herbert before the scorers had had anything to do.

The home side's top scorer was Fran Galbadoni who saw both Dan James and Jim Crawley go for five and 17 respectively before he was removed, caught by Inam Rasiq Khan off the bowling of Dan Moorcroft, for 41.

That left Parkend at 71-4 with only a 29 from Tim Martin and 11 from Tom Tremlett making sizeable contributions to the score.

An undefeated half century by Sreekanth Vajrala and 30 by Inam Khan were the stand-out scores for the visitors.

With the score on 109-6 and plenty of overs in hand Highnam looked to be cantering to victory but when Ball had finished things looked decidedly shaky at 109-9.

He finished with figures of three wickets for 25 runs off seven overs including two maidens.

Tim Martin also took three wickets with Dan James claiming two and there was one for Tom Tremlett.