Rain ruins the weekend!

Well, it was just as well the King’s Coronation was a largely indoor event, except for the loyal subjects, and the day will certainly not be remembered for the good weather or cricket!

The entire EAPL was washed out along with almost all of the Cambridgeshire and Hunts Premier and Cambridgeshire Cricket Association fixtures. If you are only going to play half your match then Sawston and Babraham first eleven probably had almost a perfect day!

With the batting unit severely undercooked in the first couple of weeks they were predictably asked to bat by their hosts Great Witchingham. With pitches covered for most of the week, overcast skies, and the threat of rain later it is almost an unwritten law that you bowl first. The Rams had made three changes with Matthew Hague and Charlie Lewis making seasonal debuts and Ben Clilverd returning after injury. Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber was again absent perhaps wisely not risking a side-strain on what was forecast to be a wet and coldish day. He was joined on the side-lines by Noah Thain and Alex Stafford.

Hague opened up with Callum Guest but he was soon back in the pavilion after falling leg before to last year’s EAPL top seamer Andy Hanby. Guest was then joined by Lewis; these two had enjoyed some excellent partnerships during EAPL 2022. They added seventy two runs before Guest managed to pick out a fielder in the deep from a bit of a long hop from Charlie Rogers. The partnership built steadily and came from twenty overs of sensible and platform building batting. Guest although disappointed with the manner of his dismissal would be pleased to have spent time in the middle, his thirty-nine coming off 76 balls. Lewis was joined by Ben Claydon and they had moved the score along to ninety-eight (in the 29th over) when Lewis decided it was time to hit the accelerator.

In attempt to hit James Hale over the top he only succeeded in picking out the Witches captain Hanby. He had scored thirty-six from 70 balls in his first knock of the year. Luke Spears’ poor run of form continued when he also picked out a fielder in the deep to give Hale (2-35) his second victim. Claydon (28 from 43) was next out and he will be disappointed that he again was dismissed after getting a decent start. He was caught by Hale off Hanby as the Norfolk seamer picked up a second wicket. At 131 for 5 in the thirty-ninth with all the front line batters out it was down to the all-rounders to bat sensibly but also to try and pick up the scoring rate.

They did this successfully as Alex Evans (10 from 9) added a run a ball fifteen with Clilverd, before Evans became Rogers’ second victim (2-35). Kieren Mackenzie joined Clilverd as they added sixteen (from 12 balls). Clilverd dismissed by Norfolk’s experienced Brett Stolworthy. Mackenzie (29 from 25 balls) then added a valuable thirty-six from thirty balls with Rams skipper Dan Heath (14 not out from 15). Handy picking up his third (3-35) to dismiss the Kiwi before James Vandepeer was dismissed for the first time this year with Stolworthy (2-34) picking up a brace. The innings closed on 207 for 9.

The game was abandoned shortly after tea. With the Rams playing a bit more cricket than the sides around them the extra three bonus points, they got ten whereas a lot of sides only picked up seven meant that they moved into third place. They were also thankful that the weather defeated joint league leaders Mildenhall and Bury St. Edmunds who were again looking on top in their games. Both missing out on bonus points as the innings were incomplete. Mildenhall had Suffolk rivals Sudbury at 91 for 5, and Bury had new boys Wisbech 106 for 7. There was barely no cricket at Saffron Walden (v Swardeston) nor Witham (v Copdock). Frinton faired a little better and were on top against Horsford thanks to a one hundred run opening partnership. However, the Norfolk side fought back to leave the game interestingly poised on 159 for 5 with ten overs to go.