Spicers eagerly awaits first home game!

Sawston and Babraham get their home EAPL program underway on Saturday when they entertain local rivals Saffron Walden. The Rams will be looking to build on their impressive pre-season form and their satisfactory win at Swardeston last week.

This is the visitors 2022 EAPL debut this week with them having the free week last Saturday. They had a mixed bag of a pre-season with crunching defeats against Mildenhall, Guildford and the Rams, but decent wins against Esher and Sudbury.

They like us are still awaiting the arrival of their overseas but have also recruited Nick Taylor and Matthew Jones who have EAPL experience, as well as Ashley Cox, whose brother Jordan plays for Kent. They are likely to include second team overseas Jack Carroll. However, they have lost the experienced Ali Russell and Alex Sears and they will be hoping that their youngsters will have benefitted from their EAPL debut seasons in 2021. Its likely that one of them, Stanley Leach, will be missing as he tries to help the Bloods (Saffron Walden Town FC) into the promotion play-offs.

Sawston are missing Charlie Lewis (another footballer), Noah Thain (school), and last week’s top scorer Nathan Buck. Nathan is out injured, although it is strongly believed (by me at least) than he was running scared of facing the Tykes in the County Championship!

The Rams still should have a strong eleven, highlighting the increased strength in depth, and will field two early season centurions in Luke Spears and Ant Phillips. Normally the only ‘centurion’ that gets a mention this early in the season is Mr President! The challenge for all the batters is still to become the first Ram to score an EAPL ton at Spicers. Callum Guest getting so close in the last game of last year. With the absence of Thain and Lewis the Rams will be trying another opening combination. Dan Heath will be hoping that Messrs Smith, Vandepeer and Moses all join current ‘Golden arm’ Ben Clilverd amongst the wickets. They will have benefitted from getting some overs into their legs but all of them could also do with (and are probably due) a bit of luck.

Structurally, I believe, the new scorebox is complete whether it is ready to use I’m not sure. Even if its not it will provide ‘critics corner’ with some nice shelter from any breeze. Spectators will need to take care and make sure they do not obscure the view of Cindy; she may be small but she isn’t to be messed with!

Elsewhere a meeting of two other unbeaten sides both of whom finished in the top four last year looks like the tie of the round with Mildenhall travelling to Gt. Witchingham. New boys Witham make their home debut and will be looking for their first victory against Horsford.