Good day for the Rams at home

Equal top billing must go to our seconds and fourths this week, and not just because they recorded wins.

There were a few strange things happening around our fourths this week, not that unusual I hear you say! Firstly, team supremo, Jeff Free, had selection dilemmas and had to leave out several regulars. Secondly, the fourths scored over 250 for the second week running and finally they managed to convert this total into a rare win. The fourths are definitely about a pathway for our younger players in adult cricket but it is still, none-the-less, very satisfying to record the odd win or two.

James Waston’s eighty not out provided the backbone of the Rams 258 for 7 with further useful contributions coming from the veteran Richard Leonard (45) and the uber veteran (no not a very old taxi driver!) Rob Benson (40). Whittlesford the visitors to Babraham Park boosting the home side’s total to the tune of forty-six extras. There were two wickets apiece for Clarke (2-23), Blake (2-46) and Williams (2-16) as Sawston’s closest neighbours were put to the sword. The Rams bowling attack highlighted the team ethos as a fifteen-year-old Dylan Everson (4-24) and fifty-something Adrian Platt (2-25) were the leading wicket takers. This was the second week running that Everson had set personal best figures in adult cricket. Platt was playing his first game after an absence of about a decade! Youngster Ben Latham (1-37), Sam Browne (1-33) and Richard Leonard (1-14) all picked up wickets as the visitors from across the river were bowled out for 154. Leonard pushing his claims to be classed as an all-rounder! Clark (41), Warren (22), and Blake (24) all got starts but could not stop the Rams recording a stunning 104 run victory.

The second team who defeated Castor & Ailsworth at home to record their fifth straight victory and continue their best ever run in Whiting’s Two. The day started disappointingly as returning skipper Ant Phillips lost the toss and unsurprisingly the visitors decided to have the first go on what looked like a belter. With the seam attack not getting any help and being punished for any bad balls the Sawston side seemed a little lacklustre in the field as Castor moved to ninety-four without loss.

The introduction of pace off with, initially, Scott Stanford (0-36), and then Jake Raven and Nick Griggs at first slowed the scoring rate before Raven made a couple of crucial breakthroughs as he removed Beale (51 from 63) and Dockerill in quick succession. Raven (4-30), then followed up with another quickfire double as he dismissed Salkar (12) after being hit for three boundaries, and then crucially Ailsworth’s skipper Wheat (41 from 97) who had been anchoring the innings. Parnell (22) and Killingsworth (13) attempted to rebuild before a final assault as they added thirty-one to take the score just over the one-fifty mark. However, the innings then folded as they lost their last six wickets in adding just a further twenty-eight runs. Nick Griggs who was on a hat-trick at one point picked up 3-20 and Sean Jenkins bagged the other three (3-25).

In reply Mark Pearson (26) got the Rams off to a flyer before playing one big shot too many with the score on forty. Fellow makeshift opener Matthew Worsdale then followed with the score on sixty-two. Any brief hope of a comeback from Castor was soon extinguished as Christy O’Brien (62 from 46), after a scratchy start, added eight-five with last week’s centurion Yousuf Chowdhary (49 from 35). Both fell to Porter (2-30) just before the Rams won by six wickets in the twenty-fifth over. Dockerill (1-44) and Dunn (1-52) were the other successful bowlers. The win keeps the Sawston side at the top of the table with second place local rivals Burwell just behind but with a game in hand.

The first team’s hopes of their own quintuple were virtually lost at the toss, as Horsford won the toss and decided to bat on what turned out to be a tricky surface. The Rams were forced into changes due to injuries to Callum Guest and Kieren Mackenzie, the loss of two front line spinning all-rounders. The home side lost three relatively early wickets as Alex Evans (3-38) picked up a brace and James Vandepeer (2-52) the other as Reynolds (19), Luke Findlay (15) and Read all departed with just forty-six on the board. Home skipper Neil Hornbuckle (41 from 60 balls) then helped to move the score to 116 before he became the sixth dismissal, as Louis Kimber got on the board (1-21). Rogers (17) and McKeown (11) both got starts before Mark Smith (2-36) picked them both up. The visitors struck quickly twice after lunch as Ben Clilverd picked up Bryan (12) and Alex Evans added a third to get out Ryan Findlay as the innings lurched to 137 for 8. From being well in the game the Rams were batted out of the contest as Austin (36) and Metcalf (36) added fifty-eight precious runs before Vandepeer and Hague (1-11) ended the innings on 210. The fact that a lot of batsmen got starts but were unable to make half-centuries perhaps an indication of the nature of the pitch.

As a result of a rain break, yes, I did say rain! the Rams still had to chase 211 but off 51 overs, 10 less than they were supposed to. They started well with Hague and the returning Charlie Lewis adding sixty-four for the first wicket in eighteen overs, Ryan Findlay picked up the wicket. Graveling then removed the patient Hague (28 from 74) to spark the loss of four key wickets for the addition of just four runs as the Rams hit the rocks at seventy-eight for five. Findlay helping himself to the three others. The Rams were forced to dig in as Claydon (21 from 73), Clilverd (39 no from 83) and skipper Heath (6 no from 31) battled through thirty overs to save the game. Findlay bowling Claydon to pick up his fifth (5-32) wickets as the Cambridgeshire side settled for a draw at 146 for 6.

There were mixed feelings for the Rams but delight in the end to save a game in the end that could quite easily been a loss due the excellent spin bowling and helpful surface. There were quite a few comebacks and rear-guard actions elsewhere in the EAPL. In the pre-match game of the day second placed Swardeston visited third placed Mildenhall. An Alfie Cooper century and five reasonably early wickets gave Swardeston a great chance of making it five wins on the bounce. However, Ashutosh Singh’s unbeaten 153 and sixty-five from Luke DU Plooy meant that Mildenhall hung on for a draw nine down in an enthralling six hundred run encounter. Almost implausibly this match was topped by the Bury and Copdock tie, which ended in a tie between the sides that were sitting fourth and fifth at the start of play. Bury had recovered from 97 for 6 to post 255, thanks to a Josh Cantrell ton. Copdock perhaps will rue the missed opportunity as they lost three wickets in the 240’s as they narrowly failed to press home for the win. Witham recovered from 58 for 5 to chase down 250 away at Sudbury as bowling all-rounder from Essex Jamaal Richard’s scored a ton. Frinton dominated the game against Saffron Walden to record a comfortable victory. After last week’s chastening defeat against the Rams Cambridgeshire’s other representative in the EAPL, Wisbech, fared better in a three wicket win at home to Great Witchingham. Swardeston now top the EAPL, with the Rams and Mildenhall joint second.

The Rams third team failed to build on last week’s win and despite a vastly improved squad as they were bundled out for ninety-three at Elmdon. With a mixture of poor shots and poor luck only the Rams top four of Day (11), Potschul (20), Borley (10) and Barber (10) made it to double figures as Gaine (4-23), Morwood (3-24) and Dixon (2-1) bundled out the visitors. Skipper Jake Ellis (2-40) was unable to repeat last week’s heroics as Barker (39 no) and Webster (26) ensured the home side won by eight wickets.