SBCC scale new summits!

Thanks to a monumental effort from our ground staff, both professionals and volunteers, we somehow managed to get both out home games played despite the near monsoon conditions that plague our preparations all week. The Clubs investment in covers, groundsheets, and supa-sopas paying us back handsomely.

The first team embarked on their first EAPL timed match, and faced the challenge of facing seven-time Champions, and reigning English Club Champions (50 over and T20) Swardeston. Sawston started the day joint top with Gt. Witchingham as the only sides with 100% records, but Swardeston sat a menacing third. The excellent early work of the ground staff who were on duty just before 7.00 am meant that the game was able to start as scheduled.

SBCC skipper, Dan Heath, again won the toss and elected to field. It is one thing to have the potential advantage of using favourable conditions but this counts for nothing unless you can take advantage. When Mark Smith is ‘hot’ there are very few bowlers better than him in the league, in a spell reminiscent of his destruction of the Sudbury top order last year, he was on fire as he returned figures of 5-24 in fourteen quality overs. He received excellent support from Ben Clilverd, who took over new ball duties from Tim Moses who struggled in the conditions. Clilverd picked up 4-46 from fifteen excellent overs before golden arm Waqas Hussain picked up his usual wicket. Only four Swardeston batsmen made it to double figures with Richard Sims top scoring on 19 as they succumbed to 82 all out in 35 overs.

Sawston lost Matthew Hague unluckily but his opening partner Hussain hit a rapid 35 from just 30 balls to give the reply some needed impetus. Swardeston, however are a quality side with quality bowling resources and even this modest chase was never going to be easy. When Hussain was out 50 for 2 quickly became 62 for 5 as Callum Taylor (2-25), Mark Thomas (2-18) and Joe Gatting (2-13) smelt blood. However, Ethan Guest with 23 not out (from 43 balls) saw the Rams over the line by four wickets.

Elsewhere games at our geographically closest EAPL rivals Burwell and Cambridge were called off, as was the game at Sudbury and there were big wins for 2019 Champions Frinton and Bury St. Edmunds. The latter significantly defeating Gt. Witchingham to end their 100% record. All this meant that Sawston sit at the top of the league with an 18-point lead from Mildenhall, but it’s a long way to go until September.

The Rams 2nd team also bucked the trend by getting their game on and were rewarded with an excellent 30-point win at home to AK. The Kashmiri side making the trip from their Alconbury base. The visitors won the toss and decided to bat. After a bright start they were soon in trouble from the late swing of Olly North (3-37), and skipper Nick Griggs (2-29). The opening attack received excellent support from Sean Jenkins (2-17) and Jake Raven (2-18), with the latter’s wickets coming in consecutive balls. After a spirited bit of tail wagging the visitors boosted their score from 66 for 8 to almost getting to a first batting bonus point before Ant Phillips ended the fun with the score on 120.

In reply despite the early loss of Joss Jordan, Ben Benson and Marc Pearson steadied the ship as the shared another partnership, one of many from their journey from the Rams U-11’s to date. When Pearson was caught behind Ant Philips (30 not out), helped Benson past his fifty. His fantastic early season form continued as he ended up 58 not out to see Sawston home by eight wickets and to maximum thirty points. This win maintained the Rams 100% start to the season and the maximum points haul was enough to see them sit top of the Cambs and Hunts Premier Division Three with a nineteen-point lead. They face a stern test next week with a trip to Burwell and Exning who after a good win this week currently sit third in the table.

On Sunday a weakened Rams XI entered the National T20 Cup for the first time in their history, they were paired against hosts Saffron Walden in the first Group semi-final, on a cold and gloomy morning. Sawston lost the toss and were inserted. Waqas Hussain’s 35 (from 33 balls) was the only sizeable contribution, despite others making starts, as they reached a below par 133 in bowler friendly conditions. Ai Hancock with 3-25 was the pick of the bowling but he received good support from Alex Sears and Jack Sneath who both picked up braces. A typically classy knock from Giles Ecclestone who hit 53 from 36 balls and a match winning partnership with Nikhil Gorantla (32 from 30 balls) ensured the hosts won comfortably by six wickets. In the second semi-final Michael Pepper’s 74 not out (from 32 balls (with support from skipper Lewys Hill (39 from 24) meant that Burwell and Exning’s rain adjusted total was chased down in just eleven overs by Cambridge. Burwell had posted 121 for 3 in their rain affected 18 overs thanks to Joe Tetley (30) and Nicholas Huckle’s 50 from 42 balls. In the final Saffron Walden batted first and lost early and regular wickets and they were indebted to some fantastic hitting by Alex Sears with his 42 coming from just 20 balls. In reply Cambridge lost Pepper early as the attempted to chase down 132. Hill again contributed significantly with a patient 35. Zaheer Hussain with 52 from 27 balls gave the innings the necessary acceleration, as wickets were lost at the other end, but it still need 14 not out (8 balls) from Kieran MacKenzie to get the Cambridge side over the line in the last over with three wickets to spare. Home skipper Ben Harris’ 4-26 did his best to drag them back into the contest. Cambridge goes forward to the next round.