The Rams maintain 100% start!

The Rams maintained their 100% start to the season when they defeated 2019 Champions Frinton by six wickets on Saturday. Since 2020 was not a full season Frinton are technically the reigning champions. For once, skipper Dan Heath, failed to win the toss and Frinton decided to take the first hit.

The new opening bowling partnership of Mark Smith and James Vandepeer backed up their impressive start in last week’s opening day victory. Mark Smith despite a change from his traditional end picked up three early wickets, including the in-form Josh Rymell who had hit back-to-back centuries. Vandepeer excellent spell was unrewarded, perhaps ‘it’s better to be a lucky bowler than a good one’.

Sawston continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals each time just as the visitors were looking to get a bit of a foothold. The score progressed from 61 for 3 to 113 for 7 as Callum Guest (3-10) and Tim Moses (3-38) stifled the middle and late order. The visitors battled to post a below par 148, despite six batters getting starts opener Jack Newby was the top scorer with 27. The usually disciplined SBCC attack will be disappointed with the four no balls and eleven wides, but otherwise delighted to once again have set up a potential victory.

The Rams made a decent start, not without a few scares along the way, with last week’s centurion being in the thick of the action and controversy before he was dismissed with the score on 39. SBCC then stumbled to 55 for 3 as Noah Thain and Waqas Hussain joined Hague back in the pavilion. Frinton aggressively came looking for the kill but the experienced pair of Michael Cafferkey (22) and vice-captain Callum Guest maturely weathered the storm to add sixty-one valuable runs before Cafferkey was dismissed on 116. Ben Clilverd (20 not out) then joined Guest (46 not out) to add the thirty-free runs needed to take the Rams to a six-wicket victory. Jake Foley picked up 2-31 for Frinton.

Elsewhere Great Witchingham, Mildenhall and Bury St. Edmunds joined the Rams on maximum points. The latter pulling off a stunning one-run victory over seven times winners and pre-season title favourites Swardeston.

The third team concluded their pre-season with a fantastic win over Mill Green, in the first home game of the season. The victory perhaps put into perspective by the fact the Mill Green players wanted to play to honour one of their own. Club stalwart Edward Argent died, tragically young, during the week, the Rams who had competed against Ed both on Saturday and in Midweek fixtures were happy to play to honour his memory. Our thoughts and good wishes go to his brother Andrew, and the rest of the Argent family, and of course to Mill Green Cricket Club.

On what must have been a difficult day for the Mill Green side the home side batted first posting an impressive 298 for 5. Sean Jenkins (47), Rob Benson (33) and skipper Jake Ellis (41) all retired not out as both sides tried to ensure that everyone got the chance to contribute. Later runs were added by Scott Barker (36), Dom Cameron and Torin Phelps (both 31) and Naga Yanamendela (20 not out). Mill Green using nine bowlers as Daniel Wright, Oliver Hamlet, Daniel Hart, Paul Turner and David Day picked up wickets in memory of their much-admired teammate.

In reply Mill Green batted bravely to post 133 with Mark Downer, Richard Hardy and Hart all making useful contributions. In the spirit of the game the Rams also used seven bowlers with Phelps picking up 3-29. The match also included a rare spell from Barker who returned 1-4 from five overs.

On Sunday the 2nd team concluded their pre-season program when they travelled to the beautiful surroundings of Southill Park. The match also doubled up as a memorial match for Ann Pryor, a Southill Park stalwart and Sawston and Babraham scorer until her death in late 2019.

The home side won the toss and elected to bat with the contest scheduled for forty overs. They made steady progress reaching 38 without loss. The Rams then started to make inroads as the hosts lost regular wickets as James Drummond (2-31) made the initial breakthrough. Scott Stanford (3-26) and Jake Raven (2-31) continued to trouble the Southill Park batting as they lurched to 110-7. Some late order runs propelled the score to 140-8 before Olly North returned to mop up the tail finishing with (2-11). The home side were dismissed for 141.

The visitors, despite the modest chase, were soon in trouble from the late swing of left-armer Henry Warren (3-49) as SBCC found themselves at 15-3. Opener Ben Benson who looked in good nick moved the score along with Ant Phillips 55 for 4 before he succumbed. Phillips then added another twenty-three with Stanford but with the latter's dismissal on 78 the target was looking a long way off. The Rams needn’t have worried as skipper Nick Griggs with 34 (off 24 balls) helped Phillips (39 not out) to add 65 runs to take the visitors to a five-wicket victory, and maintains the Club’s 100% record to date.