Counties Manukau has started the representative cricket season with an outright loss to Hamilton over the weekend but it came with some controversy.

Skipper Sam Varcoe won the toss and inserted Hamilton into bat on Saturday and the home side went on to score 247 in their first innings of their Fergus Hickey Rosebowl contest in Hamilton.

The wickets were shared around with debutant Andrew Goodare, Reid Somani, Sandeep Patel and Varcoe collecting two wickets each.

Varcoe and fellow opener Marcel Marconi took Counties Manukau through to 30-0 loss at the end of the day.

The controversy came the next morning when the side arrived at the ground to find the covers still on the grass wicket.

The wicket livened up with the covers on and the visitors were quickly skittled for just 86 early on Sunday. Following on, life wasn’t any easier and the Counties Manukau side was bowled out for 96 to lose by an innings and 65 runs.