Rams show strength in depth!

Sawston and Babraham made it four from four as they defeated the only other unbeaten side in EAPL 2022, Sudbury, on Saturday. They made it eight EAPL wins in a row since last tasting defeat in August 2021. This win typifying the season to date where they have overcome personnel changes and still delivered, with a variety of different individuals making telling contributions.

This week they were without last week’s centurion Luke Spears, as well as Noah Thain and George Darlow. In an illustration of the developing underline strength in depth the three player’s that came in, Charlie Lewis, Alex Stafford and Callum McLean all made significant contributions. On paper the Rams batting looked possibly a little light but Skipper Dan Heath still had no hesitation in backing his squad as he opted to bat.

Callum Guest, who has been a revelation in his conversion to be an opening bat this season, found himself opening with another new partner. Overseas Peter Hatzoglou departed early and Guest (50) was joined by seasonal debutant Lewis (55) and they added 81 before Guest was out. When Nathan Buck (19), Lewis and Clilverd all departed a promising 133 for 2 (at 30 overs) was looking a bit sticky at 140 for 5 (in 33 overs). However, Tim Moses with a typically powerful 62 (in 52 balls, 6 fours and three sixes) formed an excellent partnership with Stafford (32 from 37) as they added 95 (in 78 balls). They both perished along with Heath and James Vandepeer as the Rams went in search of quick runs. Mclean adding a valuable 17 not out (from 12 balls) to take the total to 268 for 9. Matthew Wareing, a pre-season capture from Copdock, finished with 2-34, but it was the ever- reliable Darren Batch (5-33) that had caused the mid innings flutter and stole the bowling plaudits.

Kenny Moulton-Day (36 from,28 balls) got the Talbots off to a flyer despite Hatzoglou picking up Batch. Tim Moses (2-16) was introduced and he and Vandepeer (1-26) picked up Mouton-Day, the in-form Alex Quinn and overseas Lasith Lakshan as the home side stuttered to 82 for 4. Adam Mansfield and Ben Parker then both came and went as Sudbury limped to 102 for 6, with the former becoming Guest’s first victim and the latter being run out by Vandepeer. Ben Reece (28) and Alistair Younger (16) tried to get the home side back on track but another run out by Vandepeer and three further wickets for Guest (4-13) meant that the Talbots were all out for 152.

Elsewhere there was a thrilling one run victory for Copdock at Great Witchingham, and Mildenhall got their title bid back on course. Wins for title dark horses Bury and Horsford leave seven-time EAPL winners Swardeston, and Saffron Walden still looking for their first wins of 2022. WATCH MATCH HIGHLIGHTS HERE

The Rams second string also maintained their 100% record and co-incidentally also their own eighth league win on the trot since they last lost on June 5th 2021. This, however, was less straight-forward that the 1st team victory. They won the toss and invited their Saffron Walden counterparts to bat. Sean Ward (1-29) and Chris Dixon (3-28) made a couple of early breakthroughs before Luke Swanston (30), Jack Carroll (23), Luke Ormsby (44), Ally Cliife (23) and Oliver Rae (21) all made contributions before the spin duo Steven Atherton (0-18 from 10) and Ant Phillips (4-43) assisted Dixon in restricting the visitors to 192 for 9. Which many observers felt was a little under par. However, Carroll (2-16), Henry Rodda (1-32) and Daniel Farmer (1-29) soon had the Rams in deep trouble at 38 for 5 (after 21 overs). When skipper Nick Griggs who had dug his side out of a similar hole last week departed in the 25th over with the score on 48 the game looked over. However, the Sean’s, Jenkins and Ward had other ideas. Jenkins a former first team number 9 or 10, had honed his batting skills by being a prolific opening bat for the Club’s third team in recent years before coming back to the seconds last year. Ward had previous form as an opening bat for Chippenham a few years ago. The restriction of the Walden total was vital as it meant despite the poor start the required run rate never got out of hand. But a further 146 runs was never going to be possible, was it? The partnership added 99 runs (in 90 balls) before Ward went for exactly 50 (51 balls, 4 x 4, 1x6). His partner, Jenkins, continued on to his own fifty before finishing not out 61 (82 balls, 5 x4, 1 x6) as he and Atherton (22 not out, from 26 balls) astonishingly saw the Rams home by three wickets and with two overs to go

The Rams third team also maintained their unbeaten start to the season in similarly dramatic fashion. Veteran opener Wes Potschul was fast running out of partners as the visitors found themselves at 60 for 7 as Fowell (4-18), Walker (2-37) and Meadows (1-31) all took wickets. However, Potschul (90 from 89 balls, fourteen fours) found an ally in Torin Phelps (26) as they added 75 for the eighth wicket. Potschul was ninth man out at 167 for 9 before Ayra Saeb-Parsy 7 no and Jon Windsor 8 not out say the total to a competitive 177 for 9. Ramsay (70) in two hours twenty-minute vigil was holding the innings together as the home side progressed to 162 for 6 and in sight of the winning line. He received support from Fowell (23). The visitors attack led by Sanish Gopalan (1-7) who bowled eight overs for just seven runs, and Jon Windsor (2-44) kept picking up wickets at the other end. The home side then stuttered in the final straight as Ramsay was dismissed and 162 for 6 suddenly became 173 for 9 as Liam Flynn (1-25) and Chris Kerby (3-32) turned the screw for a narrow four run victory. The Club’s fourth string also registered a victory but unfortunately were unable to start their season as their opposition defaulting.