Acting skipper Phil Howitt won the toss, and mindful of the mauling Hebden's bowlers had taken from the strong Nomads batting line-up last season, opted to bat first.
Hywel Morgan looked in sublime form, ably supported by a more circumspect Chris Hiam, and the pair had progressed serenely to 49 inside 10 overs. Morgan was furious with himself for top edging a pull off Smith when so well set and departed for 42, all from boundaries. Hiam followed soon after for 12, and whilst there were minor contributions all the way through the middle order, no other batsman set themselves for a significant score as Hebden limped towards 100.
Late in the innings John Allison was joined by no 9 Mark Wisbey and the innings gained some late momentum. Allison was solid at one end, whilst Wisbey was a revelation at the other, playing textbook shots around the wicket, including a sublime loft over midwicket for 6.
Allison was dismissed for 12, Atkinson hit two boundaries, and young Bobby Curtis supported Wisbey well to see the innings out. Hebden closed at 156 all out off their full 35 overs – Wisbey had hit 7 boundaries in a club-best 35. For the Nomads Jefferson took 3-20. Knowles 3-25 and A Hobson 3-32.
With something to bowl at, it was imperative that Hebden made an impact soon, but no-one could have hoped for a more immediate breakthrough as Kyle Hogan swooped in at point off the Nomads' first ball and ran out Shaw for a duck.
Unusually Simon Cartlidge and Laurence Massey bowled erratically but Cartlidge used his Botham-like ability to engineer wickets with bad balls and picked up 3 wickets in his opening spell, including a fine catch looking into the sun by Curtis to get rid of Kirkbride for 28.
Howitt backed him up well with a couple of wickets in a canny first spell, but the thorn in Hebden's side was Nomads' no 6 Brearley. Aggressive from the off, he hit 5 sixes in all to get his side well ahead of the run rate.
It was then just a question of whether batsmen could stay with him at the other end. Massey and Cartlidge bowled good second spells, Wisbey prised out A Hobson, courtesy of a dollied catch to Chris Hiam in a tight spell, but Brearley picked off the bad balls at the other end to finish on 78 not out and steer his side to victory with nearly 5 overs to spare. For Hebden Cartlidge took 3-42, Howitt 2-30 and Wisbey 1-14.