2 League titles wrapped up!

The Club went into the weekend with the hope that three titles could be secured.

The Club’s third team delivered the CCA Junior 3 title with a stunning nine wicket win at Newton. Sawston’s impressive seam attack soon had the hosts in trouble as the Sean’s, Jenkins (3-7) and Ward (2-5) led the way. Teenagers Joe Latham (1-14) and Henry Butler (0-17) maintained the pressure. Newton with Chris Eggleton (21), and late order runs from Oli Belson (27) and Stewart Newlove (15 no) managed to bat out their forty overs but could only post 93 for 8 as occasional bowlers Jake Ellis and Chris Kerby picked up wickets.

This low target posed no real threat as the Rams openers added 64 for the first wicket, as Oliver Borley (26) and the experienced Wes Potschul (39 not out) gave the visitors a perfect start. Scott Barker then added an unbeaten 18 to see Sawston and Babraham home, in the seventeenth over, and to a title win with a game to spare. Stewart Newlove recording the solitary success with the ball.

A win for Sawston and Babraham’s first team would have almost guaranteed them the title (giving them 25 of the 27 points needed). Although our paths had not crossed at 1st team level for a few years, until this season, the last victory over former EAPL Champions Cambridge (Granta) was thought to be in the Millman Cup days in the late seventies!

The Rams skipper, Dan Heath, again won the toss and opted to bat first on a used deck. Sawston opener Aaron Thomason with a patient 73 (from 110 balls) was the only person to get in and progress. Fellow opener James Vandepeer (23), Waqas Hussain (22), Callum Guest (29) and Tim Moses all made starts but were unable to capitalise against a weakened attack. George Darlow and Marc Pearson added late fireworks as the home side reached 239 for 9 in their 50 overs. Henry Campbell with 3-45, skipper Lewys Hill (3-58) and Daminda Ranaweera (2-34) were the most successful of the bowlers. I think it was fair to say that there were mixed feelings about the total set, with a few observers thinking the home side were twenty or thirty light.

In reply Cambridge were given a solid start by ex-Ram Peter Richer (21) as he added 39 with the prolific Ranaweera. Although the Sawston attack seemed a little lack-lustre Vandeeper (2-49) looked the most threatening as he picked up Richer and Liam Lombard. When George Darlow snared Dougie Rice the Rams were still in the game at 98 for three. However, Ranaweera and former skipper Johnny Atkinson then batted serenely and looked in no trouble at all moving the score onto 137. Waqas Hussain then ‘threw’ the home side a lifeline when he ran out a tiring Ranaweera (65 from 94 balls) from the mid-wicket boundary. Nick Taylor and Atkinson then added 49 and appeared to be steering the Cambridge side home for a comfortable victory. Alex Stafford then removed Taylor caught behind by Heath (14) to give the Rams some brief hope, although the visitors only required 53 from the last ten overs.

The experienced Hill then joined Atkinson and they were cruising to victory before Atkinson (72 from 86 balls) holed out to Mark Smith off the bowling of Callum Guest. When Guest then ran out Hill (22 from 20), there was finally a chink of light from a slightly open door for the home side. However, Samuel Serby (12 no) and Kushal Kumar (4 no) ran well to scramble over the line with three wickets and one ball to spare! All in all Cambridge thoroughly deserved their 25 points with this narrow defeat underlining, both, that no game in this league is a gimme and the importance of that unbelievable run chase on the previous Saturday at Mildenhall.

The mood in the camp lightened with news of the Third team success and the surprising news that closest rivals Gt. Witchingham had also lost to Copdock. This loss means that Witchingham cannot now catch the Rams and a thirty-six-point gap to second place Swardeston means that 15 points guarantees the Rams the title. Realistically this still means the Rams have to win one of their two remaining fixtures, away to Gt. Witchingham and at home to Copdock. No-one is taking anything for granted.

The Club’s second team brought home the second title in style when they defeated their Eaton Socon counterparts by exactly two hundred runs on Monday. Going into the game they needed just two points, gained from scoring 125 runs batting first or by picking up two wickets in the game, to secure the Cambs and Hunts Premier Three title. Despite a lot of advice to take the safe route and bowl first on a deck that looked like it may offer some assistance Skipper Ben Benson took the more adventurous route of backing his and his team’s batting. The opening partnerships have been a cornerstone of the side’s success this term. So, the home side would have been delighted to see both openers back in the pavilion with only 38 on the board. However, former Club and first team skipper Marc Pearson followed up his match winning innings against AK XI, with a stunning match winning innings. He shared partnerships of thirty-nine, eighty-four and one hundred and twenty-nine with Scott Stanford (6), Ant Phillips (25) and Ben Clilverd (59). On any other day Clilverd ’s forty-two ball knock containing many reverses, switch hits and ramps would have taken top billing. However, Pearson’s sparking knock, which rolled back the clock to past innings, saw him score a memorable 153 (from just 110 balls with 21 fours and four maximum’s). The tail wagged in the hunt of late runs and took the score to 316 for 8 at the end of the visitor’s forty-five over allocation. The bowlers all took a bit of punishment except the impressive 15-year-old opening bowler Jacob Watling who picked up 2-24 from two excellent spells. Jamie Vale picked up three wickets (for 33) in two eventful overs having been brought on in the 42nd over!

Excellent opening spells from Sean Ward (3-27) and Ollie North (1-15) both bowling through their nine over spells, and an amazing direct hit run out from Clilverd meant that the home side never really got going. A rear-guard knock of fifty not out by Matthew Taylor (from 76 balls) ensured that the home side reached three figures, despite a wicket for Stanford and Raven. There was also a wicket for part-time cricketer Lewis Cracknell (1-14) who helped out as an eleventh-hour sub and then two for that man Pearson (2-9). Underlining his season long claim’s that he should be a frontline bowler! So, with two out of the three titles one we hope the first team can finish the jobs next week and spare their supporters nerves of a last day must win match!