Skinner made 114 as his side finished the first day of the new season on 6-318, leaving Jordan Moran's men with plenty of work to do when the match resumes this Saturday.

But despite his personal achievement, Skinner was more impressed with the determination shown by the likes of Dan Holland (68) and Nick Cushan (72no).

"I can't remember the last time we batted out 75 overs to tell you the truth, so that was the real big thing I thought," Skinner said.

"Obviously making a hundred in the first match of the year is great but to have some other guys make runs as well, especially when Wayne Dunlop got out in the first over, is a good sign."

After Dunlop fell, Holland and Steve Skinner (12) put on a 43-run stand before Dan French (28) joined the opener and they took the score to 87 when the third wicket fell.

Mat Skinner came to the crease and the pair looked comfortable until Bart Goodman bowled Holland and Ben Patterson cleaned up Jarrod Toole for a duck to leave the score 5-152.

With things getting tense Cushan joined Skinner and the pair combined well, adding 147 for the sixth wicket to give the Tigers a defendable target.

"Things could have gone either way when Nick came out. If one of us had gone quickly then we could have been rolled for around 200 which is below par at Lady Cutler," Skinner said.

"Nick batted really well and I was happy to take the singles that Rugby was giving me so we kept the score ticking over and in the end we've put a pretty competitive total on the board.

"Initially I played my shots and scored quickly but they dropped their field back and it just allowed me to take some easy runs, and at the other end Nick was doing what he needed to as well, so it all panned out.

"The job isn't done though. Rugby had some bowlers missing and there's no doubt their strength is in their batting so we have to come out next week and be really good with the ball otherwise they will like their chances of chasing that total down."

WHITNEY CUP SCOREBOARD: Page 18