The first club past the post in 2026 was Accrington who cantered to a 7 wicket win at Rawtenstall after rolling the home side out for 63.
Skipper Jacob Clarke took 6-32 with Kian Farnworth picking up 3-9 from 7 overs on his return to the club.
Rawtenstall openers Max Entwistle and Chris Cook-Martin put on 25 before Cook-Martin (21) chipped a return catch to Clarke.
New skipper Matt Kershaw fell next ball, caught by professional Jurie Snyman off his opposite number.
New professional Roshan Lakmal (6) was next to go at 31, caught by Sam Molloy off Clarke.
Two balls later Rizwan Shafiq edged Clarke to wicketkeeper Emile Haratbar at the same score.
Tom Egan made 5 before being caught by Nathaniel Young off Clarke at 42.
Two runs later Ben Roscoe was caught by Clarke off Farnworth without scoring.
Farnworth struck again two runs later trapping Ellis Hussey in front for 1.
Clarke and Haratbar combined again at 57 to remove Daniel Harrison (6).
Opener Entwistle finally fell to Farnworth, ninth man out at 60 after hitting 18 from 69 balls, caught by Young.
Ali Hasham polished off the innings by having Marley Askew (2) caught by Young leaving Keith Roscoe unbeaten without scoring when the innings ended after 32.3 overs.
Openers Jonny Dack and Graeme Sneddon put on 61 before Sneddon was caught by Lakmal off Askew for 24.
Keith Roscoe then removed Clarke (1) and Haratbar (0) at 62, before Dack hit the winning runs to finish unbeaten with 35 on his debut for the club.
The seconds also won beating Rawtenstall by 24 runs at Thorneyholme Road.
Zain Hanif hit an unbeaten 47 in Accrington's 135 all out.
Zain then took 3-37, Waleed Majeed 4-24 and Mohammed Tayyib 3-25 to clinch a superb come from behind win after Rawtenstall looked on course for victory on 91-3.
