In search of a win!

The first team entertain Frinton in the EAPL on Saturday with both sides looking for a win and more consistency. In fairness to both sides the search for a more consistent end product has been hampered considerably by the weather. The Rams highs have been higher and their lows less deep than the side from Essex, who found themselves bottom at the end of last week. The Essex side are winless as we approach half-way. The stop – start nature of the season allied to a few availability and injury issues has made it difficult for the Rams to gain that rhythm needed to get a strong run going.

Our results, against Frinton, have been mainly positive in our four years in the EAPL. Last year we did the double. ‘Comfortably’, at least in the scorebook, winning the long-format, despite being bowled out in under fifty overs as the Frinton tornado, aka Renaldo Meyer, blew seven batsmen away. The home game was a classic where the Rams held on to win by two in a five hundred and thirty run thriller. The Essex side still have Meyer, and have added Essex wicket-keeper batsman Ronnie McKenna and Kryan Young has returned.   Consistent year in year out all-rounders Arshane Wijesuriya and Josh Frame are at the top of their stats, with only Meyer ahead in wickets for Michael Coomber’s side.

The Rams will have Wayne White and Jack Beaumont back, but Noah Thain is away with the England u-19’s. Yousuf Choudhary comes back in for Luke Spears and is likely to open with the Rams Mr Consistent, Callum Guest. James Vandepeer will be looking at the batting order with greater interest following his stunning knock at Sudbury. The game will feature three bowlers in the EAPL top ten with Guest leading the way from Vandepeer and Meyer all a good few behind KC Cariappa. The Rams need a win to keep their title hopes on the boil but will not take Frinton, or their current league position for granted.

The chasing pack will hope that the eight times champions and the reigning EAPL title holders, Swardeston, can be the first  side to lay a glove on the runaway leaders Copdock. The pack were all, however, hoping in vain for Mildenhall to do that last week. Two in-form sides at the bottom end of the table ABW and Saffron Walden hope to continue their recent improvements with Walden at home to Bury; and ABW visiting Mildenhall. There is a Norfolk derby at Witchingham who entertain Horsford. Witham will want a victory against Sudbury to both pull away from the bottom and at the same time drag their opponents into the relegation scrap.

Ex-ram and current ABW player Louis Kimber had a day to remember on Wednesday, scoring a double-ton and setting a new high for runs scored off one over (43) in the County Championship. England’s Ollie Robinson was the unfortunate bowler.

The second team visit Burwell and Exning hoping that this week they can break their duck. The side from the Cambs-Suffolk border were promoted last year as runners up behind the Rams. The home side had a bright start to the campaign but have consolidated in recent weeks, and now sit seventh. They are largely the same side that achieved promotion and skipper Paul Summerskill has been backed up with the bat by Simon Donald and Nic Huckle. Huckle leads the way with ball supported by Ed Manning and overseas Ben Kelly, with Manish Burman perhaps surprising a few. The Rams will not have the services of Yousuf Choudhary this week as he returns to the first team squad.

The thirds are without a game whilst the fourths will be looking to build on last week’s win when they travel to Girton. They will be relieved to see that Girton 1st team have a game as the side from the suburbs of Cambridge only win came with the assistance of a double hundred from one of their first team! The Rams may face an old-Ram, in Kevin Faint, a man that enjoyed considerable success with our first team winning multiple trophies along the way. Skipper Adrian Platt will hope that his young bowlers continue to excel and some of the batting magic stays with them after last week’s encouraging performance.

Stop press : Sadly, Girton II’s conceded the game on Thursday but the fourths are trying to find a friendly.