After 22 months, the Southend and District Badminton Association leagues have returned with a competitive but friendly season.

Phoenix Flames first team kicked off their Masters Premier campaign with a 6-0 victory over their third team.

Tim Baskett, Rob Dunn, Mandie Breed and Vikki Walker made up the winning side with Breed the star for her team as she did not drop a game.

Ian Breed came closest to grabbing a rubber for the thirds.

Eastwood began their Masters Premier season with a narrow 4-2 win over Fitzwimarc Seconds.

John Kindred completed a hat-trick for the home side and Adrian Watling and Lorene Roberts won the final rubber of the night in three games to guarantee victory overall.

Kera Lewis helped the visitors get their two rubbers.

FitzWimarc eased past Phoenix Flames 9-0 in their opening Mixed Premier division match.

Alan Adkins and Liz Gotts, Spencer Collins and Marie Baker and Becky Terry and Michael Clark made up the winning team for Fitz.

Vikki Walker and Ben Bradford came closest to getting a rubber for Phoenix.

In the Mixed First division, SLH Rayleigh started with a 6-3 win over Phoenix Flames Thirds.

They started with a 3-0 lead due to their opponents fielding an ineligible player and two wins on the night from Andrew Strutt and Jan Watt and one from Caroline Fletcher and Tom Negus helped them to victory.

Jo Howard-Simpson and Jay Clarke secured two rubbers for Phoenix with Jill Beaver and Dave Kitchens getting the other.

The opening match of the Ladies Premier season finished all square as Phoenix Flames and Eastwood shared the points in a 3-3 draw.

Vikki Walker and Farnaz Siddiq won two rubbers each for Phoenix while Dawn and Emilie Muggleton bagged braces for the visitors.

Westcliff and FitzWimarc Seconds contested a close opening match in the Men’s Premier division as the home side won 5-4, with five of the nine rubbers going to three games.

Lee Scott and Matt Pearson triumphed in all three of their rubbers and were backed up with one win each from Mark King and David Clark and Rob Perry and Matt Ayres.

Danny Batchelor and Andre Rudder secured two of Fitz’s four rubbers, while Liam Bellingham and Freddie Kemble-Jones and Patrick Barker and Oliver Smith won a rubber each.

The Men’s First division began with a very tight matchup between Hawkwell and Westcliff Seconds.

The home team edged the encounter 5-4 courtesy of a hat-trick from Russell Dobson and Gavin Lewis, and they were supported by a brace from Keith Wood and Jamie Coles.

Westcliff had several youngsters making their debuts and Isaac Pearson and Dhakshin Gopalakrishnan picked up two rubbers for the away side.

Matt Ayres and Oaklen Beaven and Peter Lewin and Callum Linge both won one each.

Player of the Week - Gavin Lewis.

Team of the Week - Fitzwimarc (Mixed Prem)