Undefeated weekend for the RAMS!

Sawston and Babraham returned to form with the bat but were thwarted by some stubborn resistance at Copdock, in what was an incredible day of EAPL cricket.

After a series of poor batting displays the Rams skipper again demonstrated indefatigable confidence in his squad by choosing to bat on winning the toss. He was rewarded as Sawston started steadily with Matthew Hague and Charlie Lewis taking almost nineteen overs to get the first fifty on the board. The next fifty as the pair celebrated a hundred partnership taking just nine overs. Lewis (46 from 106 balls) departed in the 35th over just short of his own half century with the score on 127. Ethan Guest then joined Hague and the Australian contributed a further 65, and going on to his second century of the season and his second century partnership of the day. Guest making 43 from sixty balls as the pair added 108 in 120 balls. Guest became the first one of Ben Claydon’s three victims (3-64) as the Rams went plundering for quick runs. Hague added a further forty runs with Ben Clilverd and had just reached 150 when he departed with the score on 275 for 3. ‘Haggy’ had scored 151 off 174 balls. Clilverd finished on 25 not out (17 balls) and Tim Moses, returning from a month’s injury and illness absence, typically whacked two sixes from the three balls that he faced as Heath called in his men on 298 for 5 after 60 overs.

A glimpse at Copdock and Old Ipswichian’s record showed that despite not winning any of their timed matches this year they were a stubborn outfit to bowl out having recorded three draws. Skipper Heath cognisant of this declared giving his side a further four overs to hopefully bowl out the home side.

The Rams made regular inroads removing the home side’s top four with only seventy-one on the board, including the dangerous Claydon (29) who himself had scored a hundred in the same fixture last year. The Ram’s seam attack of Vandepeer, Smith, Moses and Clilverd all picking up a wicket. When they picked up three more wickets by the end of the fortieth over to leave Copdock on 126 for 7 they must have been confident of sealing the victory. The home side then survived almost eight overs before Cliverd picked up his fourth victim (4-38) with the score on 144 for 8, and 72 balls to go. Vandepeer (2-33) returned to remove Hugh Thomas (24 off 51 balls). Sawston having the final four overs to take the last wicket. The home side with number 10 Luke Froggatt and number eleven Matthew Wareing surviving 34 and 12 balls respectively held out for the draw on 171 for 9.

Sawston’s seventeen-point haul was enough to see them return to the joint top of the EAPL with form team Great Witchingham, following Swardeston’s shock defeat to bottom side Horsford. In a sensational day of EAPL cricket Sam Athurton’s unbeaten 159, his second score of over 150 this season, propelled Great Witchingham to a comfortable victory over Burwell and Exning. Hague’s 151 was then demoted to the third best score of the day when Frinton skipper Michael Comber matched Arthurton efforts as Frinton chased down Cambridge’s 319. I would imagine that this gave Frinton immense satisfaction following a media spat earlier in the season. Bury and Mildenhall also recorded wins. Bury cementing their place in the top four, where the top four are separated by just nine points at the half way point in the league.

The Rams second string shrugged off skipper Nick Grigg’s shock resignation in the week and the absence of a couple of regulars to strengthen their place at the top of The Cambs and Hunts Premier Three. Stand-in skipper Ben Benson won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat. The new skipper has been in excellent form opening the innings and had shared four stands of over fifty with a couple of opening partners. Last time out he and Josh Jordan had added 174 for the first wicket. They were unable to match this against Orton Park but non-the-less still added 116 for the first wicket. They started watchfully but still putting anything loose away. Jordan normally the more sedate of the two shocked his teammates by hitting two big sixes and by beating Benson to his half-century before being out for exactly 50 (from 91). Scott Stanford then joined the skipper and they added 55 before the former fell on 171 having scored a run a ball 26. Nick Griggs came and went in the search of quick runs before Benson brought up his century (102 off 111 balls), and his second ton of the campaign. The Rams pushed hard for late runs as Marc Pearson (23 from 13 balls) became one of Clive Evans (4-32) four victims. Oliver Caplin had earlier picked up 3-61 as the home side posted a par 238-8.

The visitors had a bright start Gavin Meichan (15) and Evans (37) set off on what was looking like a genuine attempt to chase down the total. Indeed, they were well placed at 84 for 1 with Evans and Cam Harris looking settled. However, Sean Jenkins and Tom Champness both with 1-28 from nine overs started to tighten the screw offering few freebies. When Jake Raven (2-37) and Scott Stanford(2-38) were introduced the required rate continued to rise rapidly as the visitors lost wickets and seemed to settle for maximising their batting points whilst denying the home side full points. The game fizzled out with Hamish Meichan hitting an unbeaten 53 (from 70 balls) as the innings closed on 192 for 6.

News quickly filtered through that closest challengers Southill Park had been beaten by the in-form Biggleswade. Bharat Sports are now second but 37 points adrift, with Southill Park third and Biggleswade fourth, The latter being 52 points adrift but importantly having two games in hand.

Sawston and Babraham 4ths an exciting mix of experience and youth scored an impressive win on Saturday. They played their NCI counterparts who had defeated them in Cambridge a fortnight earlier. NCI batted first and set a challenging 202 to win after being bowled out. Biss (30), Duffy (46) and Pal (32) being the main contributors. The Rams teenager opening bowler Arya Saeb-Parsy helping to limit the damage as he picked up 4-30. Other teenagers Joe Latham and Henry Butler also picked up wickets as most of the bowlers got in on the act. That included a wicket on his return for veteran Steve Dove – returning to the Club after about thirty years! Two hundred run chases are rare at CCA Junior 5 level but the Rams managed to chase down the total with three wickets and almost six overs to spare. Adam Hodgkisson with 86 not out provided the backbone of the reply. Jake Ellis contributed the next highest score with 26, he crucially added 86 with Hodgkisson. However, the Rams needed superb contributions from teenagers Bill Rimmell (19) and Latham (24 not out) to seal the three-wicket victory.

On Sunday the Rams third team began their defence of the Lower Junior Cup which they won in 2019 (not played in 2020). They visited Wilburton II’s in hope rather than expectation as the competition rules meant they were unable to pick four regulars. The side was cobbled together from the remaining members of the squad, some from the fourths and a few who are only generally are available for the midweek sides. Unbelievably they managed to post 226 for 9 in their twenty overs. Chris Kerby with 80 from just 29 balls was on fire hitting six fours and eight maximums. He received good support from Wes Potschul (24 from 19), Richard Wilson (36 from 27), Dom Cameron (21 from 10) and skipper Jake Ellis (25 from 10). Jake Alsop picking up 4 for 60 from four expensive overs.

The home side however made a good fist of the chase As Alsop (70 from 59), Duncan Turner (38 from 19), and Ryan Bowler (49 from 30) took them to 176 for 1. Club captain Aaron Pledger, a former first teamer, made his seasonal debut and finished his spell (2-37) with wickets off of his final two balls to reduce the home side to 176 for 3. They finally finished just short of the required total on 199 for 5. Dom Cameron picked up 2-49, but Torin Phelps’ wicketless four overs for just 22 were crucial. The win puts the holders one victory away from a third consecutive finals day appearance in the Lower Junior Cup.