Grayswood, meanwhile, have yet to bowl a ball in defence of their title, due to the surface water and mud that has made it impossible to mow a boggy outfield.
What a contrast at Brook’s sloping ground, where the pitch was in excellent condition and a fair-sized crowd watched the match against Grayshott in warm sunshine.
Brook started well, Ollie Eccles and Alex Johns reducing the visitors to 41-3. Matt Jackson attacked the bowling, hitting a fast 42 before being bowled by Jon King, and Grayshott were a below-par 152 when the ninth wicket fell at 152.
Grayshott bat deep, however, and a last-wicket partnership of 40 between Dom Ford (26 not out) and Mark Richards tilted the balance back in favour of last season’s runners-up.
The pitch played slower and lower later in the day. Openers Tom Williams and Toby Pheasant (32) played the quickies well, putting on 46, but then Grayshott took the pace off the ball to good effect and the run-rate dried up. Stuart Kennedy and Harrison Ward took three wickets apiece and Brook, after a late flourish from Jon King, collapsed to 119 all out.
Headley, after a shaky start at Dogmersfield, recovered strongly to post 172-8 in their 45 overs, thanks largely to a fine partnership between Callum Hawtin (42) and Gavin Arend (52).
Matt Hall, Kash Rashid and George Worman had Dogmersfield in all sorts of trouble and it was only a sting in the tail (Zafran 32 not out, Ahmed 20) that got the home side up to 127.
Frensham showed their batting strength as they made light work of Blackheath’s 171 all out at Hollowdene. Tim Knight was the pick of the home bowlers, taking 3-13 in 8.3 overs, while newcomer Mitch McMullen made a fine 66 before being run out by Jordan Frost.
An aggressive second-wicket stand between Tom Charman and James Wood ensured victory for Frensham. Charman was in sparkling form and hit five sixes and five fours in his 69.
In Division Two, Tilford II and Tongham produced an excellent game at the Green and, despite a sluggish track, 512 runs were scored on the day. It was Tongham’s misfortune to come up against Jake Austin who, coming in at 77-2, proceeded to hit anything loose or too full out of the ground. When he finally fell to one of Scott Meyer’s accurate yorkers, Austin had struck 13 sixes and his blistering 132 gave Tilford an unassailable 287-9.
Tongham gave it a good go, though, and were 78 without loss after 17 overs. Captain Liam Gadd led the way with 55 and all the other batsmen got starts. The visitors eventually settled for two points on 225-8.
Mark Charman and Mike Allen (43) batted skilfully for Fernhurst on a slow, turning pitch. Frensham II bowled well, though, and a late partnership between Ryan Lewis (25 not out) and Sam Meier was to prove vital, enabling the home side to post 143.
Frensham looked to have laid the foundations for a run-chase until Lewis came on and changed all that with figures of 9-2-19-3. Adam Page joined opener Robertson in a defiant stand, but both fell to Tristan Rissik who finished the job with Allen – Frensham all out for 114.
Witley put relegation woes behind them and won a low-scoring game at Pirbright. A depleted home side still had strike bowlers Aman Khan and Rupert Howe, and Witley were on the ropes at 40-6. But Chris Munday (26) marshalled the tail and Witley clawed their way to 86.
At 40-1, Pirbright looked well on their way, but Witley started to turn the screw and reaped the rewards of accurate bowling. The home side collapsed to Munday and Euan Pusey and were all out for 71.
Elstead conducted a good run-chase to overhaul Badshot Lea’s imposing total. Jon Richards (67 not out) and skipper Max Morris (43) shared a fine stand for the visitors and Elstead were set a stiff target of 194 for victory.
But Elstead’s top three delivered the goods. Max Holland (60) and Guy Drayton (40) shared a big opening stand and Lewis Sheppard (46) played a good innings as Elstead cruised to a six-wicket victory in 38 overs.