I don’t want to see another set of covers or ground sheets this week
The Club has a full program of matches, hopefully, this Saturday. Of late if the good weather doesn’t turn up then it’s the opposition that doesn’t make an appearance. So, fingers crossed!
The first team who currently sit fifth meet second placed Bury on Saturday. This means that Mark Smith makes a speedy return to the club he left just a few short weeks ago. Sawston will be looking for a ‘double’ having beaten the side from Suffolk by eight wickets in April. Last season the Rams won the red ball game that was guess what? Rain affected! Nikethan Radhakrishnan and Alex Maynard lead the way both in the batting order and in the league stats, sitting fourth and seventh respectively in the EAPL top ten. Both trail are own Callum Guest, who remains second in the standings. The Bury pair are backed up by the vastly experienced Tom Rash with both bat and especially ball. They are likely to be a bit stronger than they were for the earlier game where skipper Josh Cantrell and the experienced seamer Ali Allchin were notable absentees. These two will add to a balanced attack but one that statistically trails the Rams quintet of Guest, Smith, Vandepeer, Beaumont and Darlow. The Rams will hope that the in-form Wayne White will continue his good trot with bat and ball following his belated start to his Ram’s season.
Leaders Copdock face Witchingham at home looking to maintain their ten-point advantage at the top of the table. Third placed Mildenhall host Suffolk rivals Sudbury, whilst fourth placed Horsford look to keep progressing with a home match against Witham. At the bottom end of the table Walden have a tricky tie at Swardeston who are once again flexing their title credentials, and there is a real ‘six pointer’ as AB Wanderers travel to Frinton.
The second team face a very difficult tie against Foxton who got themselves back into the Onyx Premier league title race when they managed to get a win last week in one of the only few games that got completed in the whole of the Cambs and Hunts pyramid. Foxton will also have one eye on the weather on the Sunday as they make their next attempt to complete their National Village Cup regional final against long term Village Cup rivals Reed. The Foxton side among the pre-season title favourites field a number of players with vast EAPL experience gained with Granta. We hope to welcome one of our old boys, Henry Campbell, back to Spicers.
The thirds are at home to Aspenden, Standon and Puckeridge who are two places behind the Rams but are only eight points back with a game in hand. There isn’t any head-to-head data for this year as the first scheduled game was yet another victim to the elements. With the exception of Bassingbourn at the top, the division is very tight and most sides are capable of beating any of the others. The visitors were in good form with a demolition of Newport by two hundred runs but suffered a setback against second-placed Birchanger last time out.
The fourths make the shortest of trips across the river and the railway line to meet local rivals Whittlesford. Whittlesford defaulted in the fixture scheduled at Babraham earlier on in the season and are currently second from bottom. The Rams, in danger of a nosebleed, are currently sitting third in touching distance of the leaders.