By NICK GUTHRIE

WESTERN Zone have opened their Country Championship campaign with an impressive win but their celebrations were subdued during a sombre opening to the carnival at Griffith.

Players from all four teams involved in the tournament gathered together yesterday morning before a ball had been bowled to hold a minute's silence after the passing of former North Coast and Australian batsman Phillip Hughes on Thursday.

It was a solemn mood all day but once the matches began Western, who failed to win a match at last season's Championship, proved they will be a force this time around as they rolled Riverina for 101 and reached the target for the loss of just four wickets in a performance coach Matt Crawley described as "flawless".

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