Strength in depth sees Rams home

On paper it was probably the game of the day as third placed Copdock and Old Ipwichians took on current league leaders Sawston and Babraham. Pre match both sides suffered major availability issues. The Rams were relieved that Ben Claydon was missing from the home sides’ line up as he has proven to be a thorn in the side of the Cambridgeshire side with bat and or ball during their EAPL years.

The Rams injury crisis continued as Spears joined Darlow and Vandepeer on the treatment table. The Rams were also missing Noah Thain, who had made telling contributions over the last two matches. The Cambridgeshire and Essex youngster is away for a couple of weeks attempting to gain a place in the England U-19 squad. Whilst clearly any side would miss ‘Shroom’ the Club are pleased for him, and proud of their part in his development. This highlights the importance, even beyond results, that the Club places on developing talent. The Club has helped a number of cricketers on their journey from village cricket into the EAPL, Minor Counties and hopefully beyond.

The Rams team after last week’s marathon leather chase at Saffron Walden were probably hoping, or even praying, that skipper Dan Heath would win the toss and choose to bat on what is usually a ‘road’ at Copdock. They were to be disappointed as Suffolk captain Jack Beaumont won the toss, and on the hottest day of the season, not surprisingly, chose to bat. The visitors must have been delighted when Mark Smith bowled Beaumont with just five runs on the board.

Suffolk batsman Alex Oxley joined the prolific Sam Athurton and took a liking to Smith dispatching the Sawston seamer for a number of boundaries, and forcing him out of the attack. The Suffolk outfit raced to 50 for 1 in twelve overs and to a fifty run partnership in just 69 balls despite a tight spell from Ben Clilverd (10 overs for 29), on his return to the line-up. Oxley’s (37 from 49 balls, 7 x4 and one maximum) boundary laden innings came to an end when he was snared LBW by Peter Hatzoglou (4-36) with the score on seventy five for two. Arthurton in good nick, with over five hundred EAPL runs this term and fresh from scoring almost two hundred runs for Norfolk against Suffolk last week was joined by another Suffolk player Jacob Marston.

Marston added just six and took the total to ninety-two when he was done by an excellent delivery from Nathan Buck (2-47) in the twenty-sixth over. The Rams bowlers picking up wickets and stifling the scoring rate in the most trying and tiring of conditions. Donald Mlambo joined Arthurton and they steered Copdock to lunch at 121 for 3 after thirty five overs. With 75 runs coming in the first eighteen overs the Rams controlled the period up to lunch by conceding just 46 runs in the next seventeen overs.

The Rams struck almost immediately after lunch when the took the prized wicket of Arthurton (58 from 101, with just six boundaries) when Hatzoglou bowled him. The Rams then tightened the screw as Buck picked up Mlambo (26) and Hatzoglou snared Harper and Froggatt in the space of five overs as 141 for 4 became 143 for 7. Hugh Thomas (16) got the score to 169 with help from Charlie Bennett (10) before Tim Moses (3-23) cleaned out the tail, and the innings closed on 174 in just under fifty overs. Skipper Dan Heath was delighted with what he thought was the Rams best performance with the ball and in the field this term.

Charlie Lewis and Callum Guest gave the visitors a steady start taking the Rams to fifty without loss in eighty-seven balls. They then took the Rams to tea at 103 for no loss after twenty-six overs. After tea Jack Beaumont (2-22) dismissed Guest (77 from 97) with the score on 131. Guest has been a revelation in his new role at the top of the innings, his latest knock taking him to 570 league runs (at an average of 51.. A very tight call for a run saw Alex Stafford back in the hutch at 144 for two. Lewis (57 from 109) then became Beaumont’s second victim with the score on 147.

Any faint Copdock hopes were extinguished as Hatzoglou (16 no) and Buck (12 no) dispensed with running and took the boundary option to see the Rams home by seven wickets. The Sawston skipper was delighted with the ‘collective’ effort in this fine win. With both sides shorn of a lot of talent it is perhaps his team’s spirit and strength in depth that made the difference. With the run of injuries and other availability issues the Rams are perhaps more practiced at using the available resources to maximum efficiency.

Looking at the table before the game most people felt that it was a must win game for Copdock if they were to maintain their title challenge. After this week’s results where Mildenhall won impressively at Bury to keep just eight points behind the Rams the top two are more than fifty points ahead of Copdock in third (Horsford and Sudbury could close the gap to about forty if they win games in hand). That is a big gap even with the second batch of 50 overs games, where the points swing can be more dramatic, still to come. Witham and Frinton shared the spoils, but there were wins for Saffron Walden and a back to back win for Great Witchingham. The latter moving in to mid-table at the expense of great Norfolk rivals Swardeston who find themselves bottom of the table, and in real relegation peril.

The Rams 2nd Team’s topsy-turvy season continued as they defeated runaway leaders Blunham in Whitings Premier Two, and denied the visitors their eleventh win on the spin. The Rams have now claimed the scalps of the division’s top three having previously defeated Castor and Ailsworth and Southill Park. However, they have also suffered defeats to the, then, bottom sides Kimbolton and Waresley!

On Saturday they were at last able to field a stronger side but with the first team still missing four and themselves having two injured player’s on the sidelines there is still clearly more to come. They thankfully won the toss on the hottest day of the season and decided to bat. Two former skippers, Ben Benson (78) and Marc Pearson (26), gave the home side a decent start. Ant Phillips (76) and veteran Steve Atherton (49) with a 108 run partnership made sure that the side made an imposing total. The innings closed on 276 for 9. Deryn Fowler (3-46), and spinners Wayne Goldsmith (2-48) and Samuel Wells (2-52) were the most successful bowlers.

The home side kept picking up wickets as a number of the Blunham batters got in but were unable to make a meaningful contribution. Conor Heaps (27), Gavin Hall (37) and Wells (45) almost got them to maximum batting points. The home side almost contributed to their own downfall by conceding fifty extras! However, the league’s top wicket-taker Chris Dixon (3-37), skipper Nick Griggs (3-37) and Phillips (2-35) made sure the Rams won by 53 runs.

The SBCC 3rd team failed to keep their winning and promotion push run going when they lost at leaders Bassingbourn by 3 wickets. They were dismissed for just 92 on a sporting wicket. Only Joe Latham (12), Scott Barker (21) and youngster Bill Rimmell (17) made any progress against the home side’s attack led by Nuwan Anthukorala (2-5), Michael Foulkes, Juan De Beer (2-30) and Soma Pemmireddy (2-1). In reply De Beer was the toast of the leaders with an unbeaten 37 (from 29 balls) with only Akash Ghosh (13) and Dave Barlett (10) giving him support. Prashant Yadav (3-24) was his usual impressive self upfront, and he had good support from skipper Jake Ellis (2-24). Oliver Sims picked up two wickets in a very eventful over that cost 25 runs! After such a narrow defeat it was also disappointing that the Rams could only claim five points from the game.

The SBCC fourth team must have had a sense of trepidation when their Cambourne counterparts visited Babraham. In the first game between the sides the Rams had posted a creditable 174 runs but Cambourne chased them down without loss in about thirty overs. Surprisingly Cambourne won the toss and elected to field on a hot day, The Rams posted an impressive 193 but were once again beaten as the impressive Cambourne chased down the total for the loss of six wickets with four overs to spare. However, given the availability of the senior sides it was once again miraculous that the Rams fielded a side at all.