The Apperley Cricket Club bar was drunk almost dry on the very first day of the new league season.

And chairman Anthony Wilkes is hoping the pavilion is packed to the rafters again tomorrow evening because that will mean the club’s 1st and 2nd XIs have both won again.

“I did a deal with both teams at the start of last season,” said Wilkes. “I said if they both won on the same Saturday afternoon they could have a happy hour back at our clubhouse.

“They came close a couple of times in 2018 but never managed to both win on the same day. I gave them the same deal this season and I’m happy to say that they both won last Saturday.

“I wouldn’t like to say how much they drank but they certainly enjoyed themselves!”

And the good news for the players is that the happy hour incentive remains in place for the whole of this season, so the beers will be flowing again tomorrow if the 1st XI overcome Lydney in Division One of the County League and the 2nd XI can win their Division Six clash at Churchdown.

Even at this early stage of the season the game at Apperley against Lydney is actually a top-of-the-table clash after the Forest of Dean club thumped Gloucester AIW Sports by 214 runs six days ago, bowling them out for 37 in reply to their 251-4.

That win earned the early County League pace-setters 22 points, one more than Apperley who won by eight wickets at Thornbury 2nds after bowling them out for 81.

And while there weren’t too many runs at Thornbury last week, there were plenty at Apperley where the 2nd XI enjoyed a six-wicket win over Stroud 2nds.

Chasing 217-5, Apperley were powered home by opener Steve Best who smashed an unbeaten 137 from just 96 balls – and this after he was dropped on nought.

He crashed 14 sixes and four fours as Apperley got home with more than seven overs to spare.

“There was quite a short legside boundary but he hits the ball a long way,” said Wilkes, a former Apperley player who has been chairman for the past five years.

“He hit five consecutive sixes, four of them off one bowler.”

Apperley certainly have plenty to look forward to this season if their early-season exploits are anything to go by and one of the highlights of the 2019 season will undoubtedly be their Lord’s 21st Birthday Bash on Sunday 25th August.

That will be a special day to mark the great day out the club had at the home of English cricket back in August 1998 when they reached the final of the National Village Knockout.

“We’re getting as many of that team together as possible to play a game against a side made up of current 1st and 2nd XI players,” said Wilkes.

“I think it will be 40 overs-a-side, it will be a great day for the club.”