SBCC do the double!

SBCC travelled in hope rather than expectation when they made the long journey to meet the resurgent reigning EAPL Champions Frinton.

Frinton have made the Rams very welcome since our promotion to the top league with a number of welcome messages. They again gave the team and a decent number of supporters a warm welcome on Saturday. The SBCC team being paid the ultimate compliment of the inclusion in the home of Essex cricketers Adam Wheater, Nick Browne and Josh Rymell. This move strengthening a side that had won its last two outings.

Sawston won the toss, and confidently made the decision to bat, a brave decision to back their recent fragile batting. The first half of the SBCC innings typified much of the season to date as the innings got off to a flyer with the score racing along to sixty at the end of the tenth. Unfortunately, once again a number of batsmen had got starts a played some good shots but were back in the pavilion. The opening bowlers Ollie Bocking (3-62) and Blaine Bannister (3-40) both picking up braces in lively initial spells.

A fifth wicket stand between Ben Clilverd (24) and Tim Moses took the score to 117 for 5 in the 20th. Moses and Alex Stafford got the score to 139 before Moses was undone by a beauty from Mohammed Ali Iranpana, in the 24th over. Skipper Dan Heath then joined his long-term ally Stafford, they have played cricket together going all the way back to Cambridgeshire Colts, and they were able to add sixty valuable runs in fourteen overs.

With thirteen overs to go could Heath and the tail manage to bat out the overs and set a challenging total. Heath growing in confidence managed to add another thirty-eight runs with George Darlow and Tommy Hams. At 233 for 9 the visiting supporters were hoping or praying for 250-260 but an increasingly confident home support thought that anything less than 300 wouldn’t be enough. Mark Smith, who had displayed his ability and temperament to stick around (both for Cambridgeshire last year in the three- day format and for the Rams this year), this time showed his stroke play ability as he added twenty-two not out (from 19 balls) and enabled his skipper to celebrate an unbeaten 55 (from 66 balls) as the innings closed at 283 for 9.

Frinton opened up with Sam Webb-Snowling and Essex’s County Championship opener Nick Browne, with Josh Rymell at three and Adam Wheater at four, the top 4 looked incredibly strong . Webb-Snowling raced to 48 from just thirty balls! Tommy Hams broke the partnership on 72 in the eleventh over. Josh Rymell joined Browne as SBCC reverted to spin to try to slow the scoring rate but the home side were nicely placed at 122 for 1 in the nineteenth. Callum Guest, wicketless in the last two games, had Essex pair Rymell caught behind by Heath and then had Wheater magnificently pouched low-down by Ben Clilverd. With Browne looking serene the home side were still looking strong favourites at 171 for 3 in the 29th.

However, Guest truck twice in quick succession to remove Browne for an impressive 84 (from 94 balls) and Kyran Young to reduce the home side to 176 for 5. There was no hint of panic from the home support with 108 required at exactly six an over, and with Darlow and Guest just about bowled out. Bannister (34) and the dangerous Tom Sinclair (35) then added 73 as SBCC squeezed the home side, as occasional spinner Michael Cafferkey and paceman Tim Moses restricted the boundary options as the rate grew. Moses bowling fantastically at the death without any reward.

This excellent bowling was backed by some terrific fielding and a tiring Sinclair paid the penalty for taking on the speed across the ground and speed of arm of Clilverd as he was run out. Sinclair departing at 244 for 6, meaning the home side needed a further forty runs from 26 deliveries, the rate having climbed to nines. The home side’s supporter’s confidence was slowly ebbing away. This lack of confidence was heightened when ‘golden-arm’ Waqas Hussain was introduced to the attack and the skipper was rewarded by a wicket second ball as Bannister departed.

The home side finishing on 261 for 7 some twenty-two runs short and perhaps regretting the 35 runs and extra balls they afforded SBCC as the Rams conceded just eight wides and no no-balls in a very disciplined bowling performance. A performance that once again highlighted their sheer will to win and a togetherness as a squad that is unparalleled.

With Sudbury very comfortable winners against Copdock the league organisers and sponsors dreams have come true, as Southern section pre-season favourites Sudbury host surprise packets SBCC in a divisional title decider in the final league match of the season next Saturday. Sudbury need to win the game and restrict Sawston to less than six bonus points to win the league. The winners will meet Northern Section winners Swardeston or Mildenhall in the play-off final, at Mildenhall, next Sunday. Mildenhall need to beat Swardeston heavily to claw back a 21-point deficit to top the section otherwise Swardeston will add another title.