Two Sawston sides in action! Tibbsy’s weekend preview 07.08
The two Sawston sides in action this week face what the football pundits would say are ‘real’ 50 or 40 pointers, as the Rams 1st XI face third place Swardeston, and the Rams third string face leaders Thriplow in Division ‘35’ South!
We go into this week’s games and the return of pyjama cricket and pink balls with the EAPL league title up for grabs, in perhaps, what is beginning to look like a three-way contest with just six games to go. Whilst it is not impossible in the cut-throat world of 50 over win or lose cricket to make up ground you think someone outside the top three are going to have to win all their games, and I think that is an unlikely scenario.
The Rams will be undoubtedly happier to return to the format that has brought them so much success but it should also be remembered that Saturday’s opposition, Swardeston, as the reigning (2019) National Club Champions in this type of game and that’s before we think about their EAPL pedigree. For that reason, and their desire, no doubt, to gain revenge for their loss at Sawston I would consider them narrow favourites on Saturday. This is also the Rams first visit to The Common, which is never an easy trip. Whilst a loss for the Rams would not be fatal, a defeat for the hosts may be more damaging.
Sawston will be hoping that they can overcome yet another absentee, with the in-form Ben Clilverd ruled out through the ‘pingdemic’. Skipper Dan Heath will be hoping that Waqas Hussain can carry on his recent much improved form, and that new boy Aaron Thomason carries on from his debut for Cambridgeshire, and that he doesn’t get another ball like last Saturday’s! He will also be hoping that vice-skipper Callum Guest can follow up his ton for Cambs and that EAPL debutant Ben Benson can carry forward his prolific form from the seconds. He will also hope that the return to 10 over spells will mean continued wickets for James Vandepeer and a return to a rich vein of wickets for Mark Smith.
The opposition is full of quality spearheaded by Joe Gatting, but with other quality from the likes of Callum and Jordan Taylor, Stephen Gray, Peter Lambert and the danger from the lower order of Richard Sims and Lewis Denmark. They are probably the highest run scorers in league. Gatting, Adam Todd and Toby Duncan are the leading wicket-takers in an excellent all-round attack.
With the second team game postponed, the third team have a decent squad to chose from and will be pleased to have Sean Jenkins back on ‘loan’. They will be looking to follow up last week’s fine win against the then league leaders, Fen Ditton, by defeating the side that leapfrogged them to go top. Thriplow themselves are in good form with just one defeat in the last five. They will be looking for impressive youngster Oscar Toogood and the more experienced Will Meadows to keep taking wickets. The Rams skipper will be hoping that the return of Jenkins and the continued decent form of Wes Potschul and Scott Barker will mean that they have too much firepower for their neighbours as they look to double the side they defeated comfortably earlier in the season. A win would put them firmly in the driving seat for both promotion and the title.
