Rams keep up the pressure

Sawston and Babraham made it an incredible eight from eight in the fifty-over format when they comfortably defeated Frinton by 182 runs. In a title defending season, which is tough enough in itself, they have been constantly thrown additional challenges. This week it came in the form of their overseas star Peter Hatzoglou, their and the league’s leading wicket-taker, winning a contract to play in the Hundred. It would be fair to point out that Frinton were missing Josh Rymell, having a decent run of games with Essex, and their own Aussie headline maker Bryce Street.

Sawston won the toss and decided to bat. They opened up with Callum Guest and Noah Thain, who was back after a spell with the Essex one day cup squad. Guest (15) after a ton at the last home game fell to Blaine Bannister (3-49) after a fifty partnership inside the first ten overs. Thain (33) followed, a second for Bannister, three runs and a couple of overs later after once again getting an excellent start. This brought together last week’s centurion and Northants pro Nathan Buck. The latter demonstrating fantastic commitment by rushing back from Blackpool where he had played against Lancashire on Friday. This pair have shared important partnerships before this season. This time they added forty-seven before Max Dias picked up his first wicket when he had Spears caught (101 for 3). With twenty-two overs gone the Rams would need some acceleration to post a challenging total. Ben Clilverd then joined Buck to add fifty-five in just six overs before Clilverd was castled by Dias, his thirty-seven coming off just twenty-four balls. This brought Tim Moses to the crease and the two big lads added a quick-fire seventy-nine from sixty-nine balls. Buck became another Dias victim when he holed out having made seventy-six (off 71 balls 9 x4, and two sixes).

Moses carried on and added a further forty-seven, off thirty-three balls, with skipper Dan Heath(19 from 19). Moses became Bannister’s third victim attempting another big hit with his fifty-five runs coming off fifty-eight balls (5 x4 and two maximums). When Heath and George Darlow both fell to Dias in quick succession, as the Frinton seamer picked up a five-fer, the innings was in danger of fizzling out. The Rams seamers had other ideas as Alex Evans (32 no from 15 balls) and Mark Smith (15 from 11) added thirty-two (in just twenty balls) before Dias picked up Smith to finish with 6-92. Evans continued to enjoy himself as the innings closed at 335 for 9. Although Bannister and Dias picked up all the wickets Arshane Wijesuriya wicketless ten overs for forty runs helped to restrict the damage.

The Frinton reply was soon in trouble as Moses (1-9) and Alex Evans (2-29), like last week, picked up early wickets. Ben Clilverd (1-35) joined the party as Amas (, Shayne Moseley (18), Wijesuriya (15) and Miguel Machado were all dismissed with just forty-three on the board. Ollie Lovejoy joined Bannister and they took the score to seventy-one before Lovejoy was undone by a beauty from Mark Smith. Smith, one of Sawston’s favourite ‘sons’ then repeated the trick, both to Darlow slip catches, to remove Frinton skipper James Baker (11) with the score on ninety-five for six. Chris Dixon, the Club’s second Australian, then picked up the stubborn Bannister (37 from 52) for a wicket on his EAPL debut. George Darlow (2-18) then got in on the act to show that a spinner can do anything that a seamer can as he and Dixon (2-22) shared the last three wickets. Harrington (10), Dias (12), Chaudhary (16) and Iranpana (10 no) all made it to double figures before Frinton were all out for 153.

Mildenhall the pre-season joint favourites for the title for many continue to justify that belief as they won again. However, they are putting themselves through the emotional ‘mangle’ as they followed up last week’s tense finish by beating Horsford by one wicket and one ball to spare! If they do go onto win the title, to cap their fifty-years at Wamil Way celebrations, they may look back at Jack Potticary’s ninety-nine as being pivotal. The Rams win however offers clarity to the title chase as now only they or Mildenhall can win EAPL 2022.

Elsewhere Sudbury’s win at Swardeston and Copdock’s massive two hundred run victory over Saffron Walden kept them third and fourth respectively, and battling with Great Witchingham for that third place finish. Bury jumped from bottom to seventh with a confidence boosting win at home against Witham. Frinton sit bottom of the pile.

The Rams second string recognising the needs of the first team and the promotion chasing third team visited Kimbolton with a mixed bag of a side. Missing a number of front line bowlers skipper Nick Griggs must have been delighted with his opening bowler Sean Ward (3-29) and his surprise package Ian Smith (2-21 from ten) in his first bowl of the year! Matt Worsdale (2-29) and the skipper (2-38) ensured maximum bowling points for the Rams. James Biddle (61 from 104) and forty-four extras laid the foundations of the match winning 187. Youngster Cassius Jessop (20) showed considerable promise. T

he Rams reply was soon in trouble, sadly a recurring theme of the season, as veterans Martin Moore (3-25) and Lee Ingram (3-24) took advantage of the slowish track as the visitors staggered to 53 for 6. The Rams only briefly threatened as Ben Benson (43) and Sean Ward (18) added forty-two. Overseas Heinrich Dippenaar (2-17) ended the fun as Kimbolton celebrated the double over the Rams and gave themselves some hope of avoiding the drop.

The Rams third team held on by just seven runs against Aspenden, Standon and Puckeridge to maintain second spot, by two points, in CCA Junior 2s. The Sawston side are just one win away from their third consecutive promotion, which given the availability issues of the Club’s first and seconds and its impact on the side would be a remarkable achievement. This week the second team lent them Sean Jenkins, and the England batting collapse at Lords meant that Steven Atherton was suddenly available. These two both scored half centuries with Jenkins notching (51) and Atherton (59). Mervyn Shaji weighed in with twenty-four and Torin Phelps an unbeaten twenty-seven. There were two wicket apiece for Fitzgerald, Surrey and Baxter as Sawston finished on 220 for 6.

With the home side reduced to 67 for 6, after eighteen overs, it was game over as Prashant Yadav (4-26) and Jon Winsor (2-36) looked like taking the Rams to a comfortable victory. However, Devonshire (51 from 44) and Fitzgerald (75 from 67) then added one hundred and twenty runs (off 99 balls) to take the home side to the brink of a fantastic chase. Even the usually miserly Atherton (1-35) struggled to contain the riotous pair. However, Sean Jenkins picked up Devonshire and then Atherton bowled the dangerous Fitzgerald. Jenkins (3-20) then added Baxter and Ricketts as the home side finished an agonising seven short with seven balls remaining.