Third’s win title as First team run continues!

Congratulations to SBCC 3rd XI, who became the Club’s second title winners of the week, following the success of the Midweek 1st XI, when they defeated nearest rivals Harlton in Group O.

A competitive and sometimes feisty match was played out on an excellent track at Babraham. The visitors lost the toss and were invited to bat following advice from the Assistant Groundsman who though the track would improve as it dried. SBCC bowlers made regular inroads into the Harlton innings despite Nick Lloyd (12) and David Hogg (19) getting starts and they looked in real trouble when Natarajan Chandrasekhar departed, following a fluent 32 from 35 balls, at 97 for 5. Alex Long (4-28) picking up his wicket and a couple more as the Harlton innings lurched to 137 for 8. However, Stefan Liebenberg helped by the last two tail enders sticking around and some poor bowling smashed his way to 91 not out (9 fours, 6 sixes from just 70 balls). The impressive Mervyn Shaji returned to remove one of the tail enders to finish on a very creditable 1-13 from eight excellent overs but he could not stop Liebenberg and Harlton posting a challenging 196 for 9.

The visitors must have thought there were well on top when pinch hitter Naga Yanamendela went early on. The innings although lacking the explosive power of Liebenberg built steadily as opener Sean Jenkins added forty-six with Adam Hodgkisson (20) and fifty-three with Sumit Siddarth (34). With two of the home sides more prolific batsmen dismissed and more than half the overs gone would SBCC regret a couple of real howlers in the field. These thoughts were soon dismissed as Chris Kerby (30 from 27) and Jenkins literally ran the ageing Harlton side ragged as they added 84 in just under 9 overs. Before Kerby became a second victim to Graham Harraway who picked up 2-32 but with the home side in sight of the winning post.

There was time for a minor panic as Barker and Shaji went in consecutive balls to Jeremy Cotton (2-38) but Jenkins carried his bat for 97 not out as he and skipper Jake Ellis saw the home side home by 4 wickets and with almost 6 overs to spare. Jenkins now averages 181 for the thirds in this truncated season.

The 1st team completed an EAPL double over Saffron Walden when they won a low scoring affair by 32 runs at Spicers. The home side won the toss and decided to bat. The innings typifying many recent efforts as a succession of batsmen got in before failing to capitalise.

Jack Sneath picking both openers in his (2-28). However, Charlie Lewis (33), backing up his match winning innings against Frinton, again stepped up as he and Ben Clilverd took the score from 76 to 4 to a more promising 125. Alex Stafford then assisted Clilverd (28) to take the score 147. Stafford’s needless run out led to a flurry of wickets as 147 for 5 became 168 for 9. Joe Barrs, a former SBCC Junior, enjoying his return as he picked up 2-32 as he and skipper Ben Harris (4-31) turned the screw. However, George Darlow, in at number ten, with four fours and one maximum crashed his way to twenty-nine (from 24 balls). Mark Smith (2 no, from 15 balls) hung around as he and Darlow added twenty-eight crucial runs, as they just failed to get the total to 200. Surely not enough.

Mark Smith then backed up his batting by removing both Harry Gallian and Andy Laws with the score on a definitely unlucky thirteen. The two wickets curse again reappeared as 32 for two become 32 for 4 as Darlow and Clilverd (1-14) made further in-roads. Cambridgeshire and Essex II’s Nikhil Gorantla (37 from 82 balls) offered some stubborn resistance as he added thirty-seven with Finn Karsten (21). Darlow (2-41) returned to remove the dangerous Joe Barrs and at 83 for 6 surely Walden were done? However, Ben Harris had other ideas as he struck a typically explosive 41 from 33 balls. Harris adding sixty runs with Karsten and Ryan Deamer (16), before Hussain (1-6) with the score at 143. Tim Moses, Callum Guest and James Vandepeer all picking up a wicket as the Walden innings finished on 164 as the Rams kept up their 100% record.

Nearest challengers Sudbury demolished 2019 Champions Frinton by nine wickets after dismissing them for 76 to maintain their own Southern Division title hopes. The top two meet at Spicers on Saturday before the Rams entertain Copdock in their final home match on Bank Holiday Monday