Captain Gary Freear cracked a century as Wisbech launched the Cambs & Hunts Premier League season with a bang.

Freear blasted 100 to lead his side to a 165-run demolition of a Ramsey team tipped to be fellow contenders for the Division One title.

The skipper wasn’t the only man to impress with the bat as Wisbech piled up a mighty 307-7 on an excellent wicket.

Fellow opener Danny Haynes (54) and Josh Bowers (50) hit half-centuries with Freear and Haynes putting on 122 for the opening wicket.

And Wisbech were also in fine fettle with the ball as they dismissed Ramsey for just 142.

New Kiwi overseas ace Parth Patel took 3-28 on his debut while Silas Mutubaki (3-16) and Paul Edgeller (3-32) also bowled well. Jamie Gollands needed just two balls of his first over to take the final wicket.

It’s an ideal start which will ensure Wisbech travel to reigning champions Foxton tomorrow full of confidence.

Delighted skipper Freear said: “The opening day couldn’t really have gone much better to be honest.

“We wanted to put a statement out there as a few people seemed to have written us off before a ball had even been bowled.

“Beating Ramsey, who will be up there challenging for the title, by that sort of margin did that.

“We’re clearly capable of scoring a lot of runs and we did well with the ball too even though we are probably short of an opening bowler.

“We hope to be thereabouts ourselves although I’d make Foxton favourites again. They won it last year and look to have strengthened.

“We managed to beat them twice last year and hopefully we can get a result there this weekend.”

One big success was followed by another last weekend as Wisbech made a successful start to their Rutland League challenge last Sunday.

They posted 300 for the second successive day when beating Market Deeping by 129 runs in Division One.

Dom Stannard top-scored with 73 while there were also fine contributions of 69no from Bowers and an unbeaten 55 from Freear in a tally of 300-3.

The visitors never looked like threatening that score as they were dismissed for 171 with Simon Freear claiming fine figures of 6-14. The former wicket-keeper/batsman showed he’s pretty handy with the ball too.

There were also two wickets apiece for William Gowler and Patel.

Wisbech go to Peterborough Town this Sunday.