Skipper Vitas leads the charge as newly-promoted Sports start with emphatic victory
Oakham tasted derby delight on the first day of the Leicestershire League season with victory over near neighbours Uppingham Town on Saturday.
They bowled out a Town side relegated from the Premier Division last season for 148 at the Lime Kilns before passing the target for the loss of just two wickets and with more than 21 overs to spare.
Uppingham had won the toss and elected to bat first in the Division One duel with skipper Jamie Dumford (31) and Ben Farnsworth (35) getting them off to a solid start.
They put on 62 runs for the first wicket - with their half-century opening stand taking just 57 balls - before Ed Tattersall and Wes Durston were brought into the Oakham attack.
Tattersall had Dumford caught by Richard Martin and then bowled George Scott without scoring to spark a mid-order Uppingham collapse.
They tumbled from 73-2 to 111-6 with the Oakham attack producing a dominant display.
Durston trapped Farnsworth leg before and then bowled Will Joyce without scoring before claiming the wicket of Mark Cox (15).
Danny Dumford briefly stalled the Oakham surge with a resilient 31 off 63 deliveries, but the wickets continued to fall around him following the introduction of Rob Taylor to the home attack.
Taylor took 3-17 from a superb eight-over spell which included the wickets of Kashif Munir (4), Alex Ashwin (16) and Cameron Hardwick (0).
Shaun Morris then returned to the Oakham attack to trap Danny Dumford leg before and bowl last man Scott Green to dismiss Town for 148.
Oakham were soon into their stride in reply as Durston and Taylor reached a half-century for the first wicket in just 47 balls.
Ashwin did manage to oust Durston - courtesy of a Munir catch - with the score on 50 but, with Taylor in superb form, Oakham were always in charge of the run chase.
Taylor thumped eight fours and eight sixes in an unbeaten 94 as Oakham coasted home despite Cox having Cameron Flowers caught by Jamie Dumford for 15.
Tattersall though joined Taylor to see Oakham to victory inside 24 overs and ensure an emphatic start to the new season for the Lime Kilns side.
Newly-promoted Ketton Sports got their Division Three campaign off to a fine start with a crushing 102-run away win at Maher Stars.
They made the most of skipper Rob Vitas winning the toss and electing to bat first with the captain leading their charge.
Vitas (79) and Ashley Rodgers (41) put on 76 runs for the first wicket to set Sports well on their way to a tidy total.
Zeeshan Manzoor (68) then joined Vitas to add 114 runs for the second wicket before newly-appointed player-coach Bash Hussain continued where the captain had left off.
Hussain hit an unbeaten 42 as Ketton Sports closed their innings on 270-4 off 45 overs.
Hussain and Will Compton then kept the Maher reply under tight control with miserly opening spells.
Hussain took 1-29 from seven overs while Compton claimed 1-31 from six overs as Maher stuttered to 95-3.
Jacob Miller (2-39) and Matt Bird (2-12) then bagged a couple of wickets each, including top scorer Arjun Jamnadas for 47.
Compton and Rodgers chipped in with run outs with Manzoor (1-37) also taking a wicket as Maher never threatened the Sports tally to finish on 168 all out.
Oakham 2nds made it a derby double for the Lime Kilns club with a 32-run away success at Market Overton in Division Five East.
Oakham posted 213-9 from their 45 overs and then dismissed Marko for 181 in their reply.
Uppingham 2nds went down to a six-wicket home defeat in their Division Seven East opener against Shree Sanatan.
Town were bowled out for 154 with their visitors reaching the required total inside 36 overs for the loss of four wickets.