Rams looking for a perfect 10 in the big one!
SBCC are looking to set a new Club record and what I think will be a new EAPL record when they attempt to win all ten limited over games in the season. A win will also guarantee them back to back titles. That would be a truly amazing feat.
It is perhaps fitting that to break this record, and defend their title, they will need to hold off their closest challengers Mildenhall. They like the Rams have emerged, post covid, to be considered amongst the strongest sides after finishing well last year and being in the running all this term. It would be a fitting end for their anniversary year, they are celebrating fifty years at their base in Wamil Way. Mildenhall will also need to beat seven-times champions Swardeston next week to lift the title. I’m not sure who or how the fixtures were created but the league and its sponsors, Read Brothers, must be delighted that the title race is going to the wire (again).
Those looking beyond the tea leaves and searching for good omens will be looking back to the timed match victory for Mildenhall, if you’re from Suffolk. The Rams will be looking back exactly a year to the title clinching victory at Great Witchingham.
For just about the first time this year I am able to write that the Rams have everyone available. This includes Peter Hatzoglou, after his exploits in the Hundred. With everyone else available skipper Dan Heath had a difficult selection headache and unfortunately our longest serving Ram Mark Smith misses out. With so much quality on show I’m sure it will be a belter, and we certainly hope the result is not influenced by the weather. I know the Rams will not be looking forward to a repeat of that DLS drama that unfolded at Mildenhall last year.
It would be fantastic to see Callum Guest score those one hundred and twenty-nine runs to get him to an incredible one thousand league runs. His Cambridgeshire colleague Jack Potticary has over seven hundred for the visitors, and the Rams will be wary of him particularly in the power-play where he often gets them off to a blistering start. ‘Potts’ has been well backed up by Joe Tetley who has almost six hundred and fifty league runs. The Rams have Luke Spears with over five hundred to his name and both Ben Clilverd and Noah Thain have chances to reach that milestone.
The bowling stats also reveal a battle as Hatzoglou has a three wicket lead over his overseas counterpart Naveen Gunawardena despite the Aussie missing the last two games. The visitors will be looking to support their overseas with the seam of Rash, Blackledge and Loveday and the spin of Ironside. Sawston have an excellent all-round attack with so many options it’s easier to say that Heath and Spears will not bowl. Talking of squad strength, we should also be grateful that our Cindy has been an ever present this season. Unlike the team where we are blest with lots of options Cindy is irreplaceable, as the bloke from the seconds is a liability!