TENNIS: Cromer Ladies A opened the new season with a convincing home win over East Anglia A.

It was a good start to what will be a very exciting season for the club ladies, with two teams in Division One for the first time.

Cromer fielded the established partnerships of Heather Bottomley and Mary Ogden and Cheryl Buck and Annie Cowper. Johnson started strongly in testing conditions, building up a healthy lead at halfway for a 43-21 win.

Captain Cheryl Buck said that that all players had remarked on the superb condition of the grass courts at Cromer. She was less complimentary about the wind which was blowing.

Cromer Men's B made a pleasing start with a comfortable home victory over newly-promoted Brooke B.

With Danny Holdom having handed the reins of captaincy over to Andrew Buck, but remaining involved as technical director, the strategy of blending youth with experience worked very effectively.

Buck and Ross Murray made a rapid start against their opponents with the strong serve, and hard-hitting Murray set up numerous opportunities for Buck to put the ball away. They triumphed 15-1.

On the other court Alan Hudson, teaming up with Norfolk junior Tom Fisher, were involved in a much closer game with Brooke's No 1 pair.

However, the smooth ground shots of Fisher, and the wily ball placement of Hudson, saw them through to a 9-7 victory.

With the match firmly in the grip of Cromer, the reverse doubles saw Buck and Murray involved in a very tight game, drawing 8-8.

Hudson and Fisher coasted to a 10-6 win, leaving the final result 42-22 in Cromer's favour.