SBCC beat the weather to topple the Champions!

SBCC beat the weather to topple Champions Frinton That SBCC were able to play a reduced 30-over match on Saturday means there is much credit due to our groundsman Alan Poole, and his team of Club assistants, the umpires and of course the players, especially the eleven from Frinton. We must also be thankful to the ground, herself, as Spicers is a very quick drying venue even in the absence of any real sun or breeze.

The game scheduled to start at 11 am didn’t start much before 2pm, and some of the Frinton boys had set off at 7.30 am! SBCC won the toss and with the weather still uncertain did the sensible thing and asked the 2019 Champions to bat. To be fair with the weather impacting ground preparations all week and the pitch being under covers for over 24 hours no one knew what to expect. In the end the pitch played very well although the outfield was, not surprisingly, at its lightening quick best.

SBCC opened up with Tim Moses, his 6 7” frame perhaps not suited to the slightly slippery conditions with his old spikes not providing him with the confidence to charge in. Sensibly he had a shortened spell. Mark Smith opened up at the other end and was rewarded by removing the dangerous Tom Sinclair, who came off saying that he just been bowled by a ball that pitched on leg stump and just flicked the top of off stump. When James Vandepeer snared the other opener Blaine Bannister with the score on 49 the game was nicely balanced with Frinton perhaps needing to hit the accelerator. SBCC then turned to their spin twins Callum Guest and George Darlow to strangle the middle overs. This ploy was again successful despite the innings of the day from Kyran Young who’s fluent 58 from just 57 made light of the bowler friendly conditions. However, Guest (3-23) and Darlow (2-32) ensured that the scoring rate was kept in track as Frinton lost wickets. Some tidy closing overs from Aussie Tommy Hams helped to restrict the visitors total to 132 for 7.

Sawston opener Vandepeer blazed some early runs before Ollie Bocking removed Waqas Hussain for 10, not the last SBCC player to get a start and give it away. The home side wobbled as 34 for no loss became 58 for 3 as Bannister (2-21) removed Vandepeer and the in-form Michael Cafferkey. When Guest and Alex Stafford departed both victims of Ben Reece (2-19) at 72 and 76 in the sixteenth over the winning post seemed a mile away. However, lefties Charlie Lewis and Moses (15) added a vital 45 for the sixth wicket before the latter was unfortunately run out trying to sneak a leg bye to the keeper. S

kipper Dan Heath joined Lewis to hit the winning runs as SBCC made home with almost four overs and four wickets to spare, as Lewis finished unbeaten on 37 (from just 40 balls). In a final injustice to Frinton they finished with just three points from a game that they could have easily won and in a game where an abandonment would have earned them seven points. Scant ‘reward’ for trying to get the game on!

Even before the game Frinton were held in high regard at Sawston not just because they are the reigning champions but because they also took the time to congratulate us on our success in 2019 and again took the time to welcome us to the EAPL before the scheduled start on the 2020 season. Champions on and off the field!

SBCC’s team and fifth team are already looking forward to the return fixture towards the middle of September where a touring party is planned to the East Coast. With closest challengers Sudbury rained off SBCC now sit at the top of the table by 18 points but do not write off Sudbury’s challenge just yet!

SBCC 2nd XI were handed 20 points when Newport defaulted on Friday. A result that ironically opens the door for nearest challengers Horseheath who could pick up a maximum 40 points in their game in hand. A victory next week for Horseheath could close the 45-point lead SBCC hold at the top of Group D in the CCA league with SBCC on their week off.

SBCC 3rds remained 27 points clear in Group O as all the matches in this group were rained off on Saturday. SBCC perhaps face a title defining game when they meet Harlton next Saturday at Babraham.

SBCC, finally, made their Suffolk T20 debut on Sunday when they travelled to EAPL Northern Section side Mildenhall. The Rams having already tasted a friendly defeat in Suffolk earlier in the season. Both sides following the ethos of the competition selected a mix of first and second teamers, with no overseas or ‘professionals’ allowed.

SBCC gave competitive first team debuts to the Thain’s Noah and Sam and promising third team teenager Mervyn Shaji. SBCC won the toss and decided to bat as James Vandeeper (29), returning to a Club he had represented at Junior level, and Ben Clilverd (22) added 54 for the first wicket, helped by five penalty runs! The fifty-partnership coming up in just 29 balls. The introduction first team bowlers Tristan Blackledge (3-14) and Jack Loveday (3-11) meant that 54 for 0 became 85 for 6. However, Callum Guest stuck around adding 49 for the seventh wicket with teenager Noah Thain (25 from 22) before he fell for 45 (from 41) in pursuit of late runs as the innings closed at 152 for 8. Surely not enough and probably 20 under par.

Dan Heath’s faith in Shaji was rewarded with a wicket in his first over. He followed this by removing Jake Foley (23) just as he was accelerating the scoring rate. Ash Clarke (11) and Ollie Lovejoy (19) both got starts but the required rate started to climb as Sam Thain, Alex Stafford and Tim Moses all bowled initial tight spells as the home side lost regular wickets. When Blackledge (47 from 50 balls) perished at 114 the seventh wicket had fallen and fourteen an over was required. Ben Clilverd (4-25) and Moses (2-15) had done the damage in the middle overs before Shaji returned to pick up 4-28. Mildenhall finished 26 runs short. SBCC have the opportunity to win the Group when they travel to Worlington next week.