Rain again threatened to wash out cricket for a third consecutive weekend, but ground staff worked around the clock to get the players on the park.

City players were certainly appreciative, even after they were sent in to bat.

“It wasn’t a bad toss to lose,” City skipper Stephen Butler said.

“I was going to bat first anyway.”

City were preparing for another washout throughout the week and even still on Friday night.

“We had our Christmas party on Friday night and I told the boys not to have too much to drink in case we got on,” Butler said.

“We had a few under the weather, but we were happy to play.

“I told the boys we needed to play Servies and win to show our dominance.”

City were actually in trouble early at 2-7 after losing star batsmen Brad Smith and Paul Woodford for ducks.

“They are two of our renowned bats,” Butler said.

“At that stage if we had of got rolled for 40 I wouldn’t have been surprised.”

He couldn’t have been further from the case as his side didn’t lose another wicket on the way to posting 2-245 with Taylor (110) and Reckford (113) posting unbeaten centuries.

A big score had been looming for Taylor, but Reckford’s innings was completely unexpected.

It was his first game of the season after recently returning to Armidale on university break from Adelaide.

“He will probably only play three games for us,” Butler said.

“It was great to have him back, he’s a pleasure to have on the field.

“Kyle Taylor has been knocking on the door for a while.

“He’s made a few 20s and 30s.

“It was a great innings, that’s why we wanted him in our side.”

Servies did get closer than Butler would have liked in reply, but that can be put down to late half centuries from Braden Graham and Brad Widders.

“The game was out of reach then,” Butler said.

“They were never really in the hunt.”

In the other match of the round Easts continued their early season dominance with a seven wicket win over Hillgrove.