Quintuples all round
No this is not the new bar order for the Chairman’s round! The first team travel to Horsford and the seconds are at home to Castor and Ailsworth as they both seek to make it new personal bests of five wins on the bounce in their respective leagues. They are both attempting to stay as leaders of their division.
The Rams did the double over Horsford last year and although the Norfolk outfit have lost three on the bounce in the longer format the Sawston side will be fully aware that the surface at Manor Park can occasionally assist in some strange results. The Norfolk side also contains a few of the current Norfolk squad and like most sides in the EAPL possess a threat on the day. They made an excellent 265 in reply to the Rams 306 in their last meeting, at Spicers, in the fifty over game although in the longer format game, at Horsford, it was a very low scoring affair.
The Horsford squad is pretty much the same as 2022 with the Norwich club keen to utilise local talent. Scoring enough runs, to give their talented and varied attack any chance, seems to have been at a bit of a premium this year so far. The Rams are forced in making changes this week with Callum Guest (ankle) and Kieren Mackenzie (broken thumb) missing through injury and Alex Stafford unavailable. Matthew Hague is promoted from the seconds and Charlie Lewis returns. The Rams will be hoping that Louis Kimber remains available as with the absence of Guest, Mackenzie and Stafford the spin bowling is looking a bit bare (Although third team skipper Jake Ellis after his career best last week has made himself available ). Louis is fresh from his eventful, and headlining, seasonal debut for Leicestershire’s County Championship side!
Elsewhere the games of the day see quintuple chasing Swardeston (second in the table) visiting third placed Mildenhall, whilst fourth placed Copdock and fifth placed Bury will both want to return to winning ways. In the other matches Saffron Walden visit Frinton, Witham travel to Sudbury and Wisbech will hope to make home advantage count against Great Witchingham.
The seconds face Castor whom they shared the spoils with last year, gaining a victory at Babraham, in a game they should have lost, before turning in perhaps their worst display of the season away. Last week’s stand in skipper is moved up to the firsts but the returning skipper, Ant Phillips, will be pleased to have retained last week’s centurion Yousuf Choudhary and will also have Marc Pearson, Will Bailey and Nick Griggs in contention for recalls.
The opposition are currently sitting sixth of ten, with two wins and three defeats, scoring enough runs to give their decent attack a platform seems to have been the issue so far this term, although the eighty-four they scored at Waresley was enough two weeks ago! They are largely the same squad that challenged for much of 2022 so perhaps they are in a slightly false position.
The thirds travel up in to the hills, when the visit Elmdon. The Rams will be looking to build on the moral boosting victory away at Bassingbourn. Elmdon sit sixth in the table but if they won their game in hand, they would move up to fourth. Unusually for a side based at The Meadow it seems bowling is their stronger suit at the moment. As is the case with the Rams consistency of availability also seems to be a factor. Despite the first team injuries, and knock on effects, the availability for the top two sides is good meaning that third team skipper Jake Ellis will have a few more options to choose from.
The fourth eleven are again on home turf this week when they welcome closest of local rivals, Whittlesford 2nds, to Babraham Park They will be hoping to improve their bowling options and delivery whilst matching their stunning efforts with the bat last week. After two games last weekend they will also be grateful that they only have the one fixture this weekend.