1 Win, 1 Draw & 1 Loss!

It was a mixed bag for the three Sawston and Babraham sides in action on Saturday, with one win, one draw and one defeat.

Sawston seconds defied the odds and some injuries to record a stunning victory against one of the title favourites in Whitings Premier Two. The Rams had relocated for the day to Babraham, with Jubilee celebrations taking precedent at Sawston, and opted to bat on a used strip against Castor and Ailsworth.

Holidays and injuries meant that the Rams would have yet another new opening partnership. The side were lucky to have Josh Jordan (12) returning for his first start of the season and Marc Pearson (35) making his first start as a married man. Jordan departed with the score on twenty-nine with Pearson following with the score on fifty-three just as he was going through the gears. Ollie Borley and Ian Smith who had enjoyed a massive partnership on this deck the week before, for the thirds, took the score to 84 before the both perished. Ant Phillips then vitally adopted the anchor role as he and Sean Jenkins (16) added fifty-two for the fifth wicket.

When Jenkins and skipper Nick Griggs departed the score stood at 136-6 and a par score of 200 looked a long way away. However, Will Bailey (27 from 22 balls) with some excellent stroke play and good running helped Phillips to add exactly fifty. Following the pattern of the day Steve Atherton followed balls later as the impressive Dockerill (3-24) was finally rewarded in support of Connor Parnell (3-31). Chris Dixon then helped Phillips to take the score to 214 before he was run out on the last ball of the innings. Phillips finished on 74 not out (from 100 balls). Sawston felt the score was competitive even against an inform batting unit who had posted 288, including two centurions, against the previously unbeaten league leaders Southill Park last time out.

With one of the last week’s centurions Mark Wheat (60) anchoring the reply they had moved along to 72 for 3 in eighteen overs (to match the Rams 72 for 2) despite early wickets for Skipper Nick Griggs (2-32) and Dixon. Griggs also taking a stunning slip catch to assist Dixon. Wheat found an ally in Connor Parnell as they added 73 for the fourth wicket before Griggs took another catch off Will Bailey (1-34) to remove Wheat, who was latterly hampered by a hamstring injury. Parnell then decided that he would see the visitors home by taking over from Wheat. He found a useful partner in Marcus Papworth (9) as they took the score to 162 before Papworth was out to Phillips (2-46). The Rams spinners Phillips and Atherton (2-18) putting on the squeeze and the climbing required rate seemed to be the only obstacle in the way of the visitors victory march.

Parnell was joined by Dockerill who has made some very useful runs at the lower middle order this term. The Rams must have thought the game was gone when Griggs shelled Dockerill and in the process split the webbing on his hand. The injury meant that the Rams needed to use sub fielder Matt Day (hampered by his own hamstring injury that had led to his omission). Dixon returned to remove Dockerill and Evans before Parnell was dismissed by Phillips with a diving catch by Day. Atherton then removed ten and Jack to help the Rams to a stunning 25 run victory as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just thirteen. Dixon who finished with (3-34) is now the leading wicket taker in the entire Whitings Premier Competition with seventeen and he is two ahead in the Whitings Two statistics of Parnell.

The Rams first eleven left Frinton, normally a happy hunting ground, still unbeaten but slightly frustrated. Things went to plan when they won the toss and batted. Charlie Lewis opened up with Callum Guest (19) and they added thirty-two before Guest was caught off Ashane Wijesuriya in just shy of ten overs. Lewis was joined by Noah Thain (48) and they added eighty-seven runs off 114 balls. Lewis (49) then followed a run later having narrowly failed to score his fourth consecutive fifty plus score. Both fell victim to Josh Frame who then added Dan Heath and Ben Clilverd to his list of victims, as the Rams suffered a mini mid-innings collapse as 119 for 1 became 154 for 5. This has become an annoying pattern in recent weeks.

Alex Stafford (41) recalled from the twos again showed his value, as he added thirty-six with Tim Moses (17) before Frinton skipper James Baker(2-42) picked up the tall left hander. Stafford took the score into the two-hundreds before becoming Frame’s fifth victim. Peter Hatzoglou (19) added some late order runs before the last three wickets fell for four runs as Baker picked up his second and Frame (7-66) his sixth and seventh. Blaine Bannister although wicketless deserves great credit for bowling his eighteen overs for just 31 runs and setting the tone at the start of the innings.

SBCC felt that their 228 was about par on this deck and with Frinton having at least sixty-two overs felt that it was the kind of total that dangled a carrot to the home side. Josh Rymall (45) who the home side have relied on this term again gave them a good start before falling to Hatzoglou with fifty-seven on the board. His opening partner Billy Amas (22) and that man Frame (35) saw the home side to seventy four before Amas became the Australian’s second victim. Frame with help from Wijesuriya and Bannister (39) had moved Frinton onto a threatening 153 for 3. Hatzoglou who had earlier snared Wijesuriya then added Frame to his growing list of victims. George Darlow then removed Bannister and Machado then became Hatzoglou’s fifth victim (5-55).

Skipper Baker (19) and Tharaneetharan (17 no) then added 35 in eleven overs before Baker was run out by Heath, as the home side finished on 200 for 7.

Wins for Mildenhall and Copdock means the Rams lead at the top of the table at 37 points, although Mildenhall can reduce this to close to single figures if they win their game in hand. Copdock made the brave, but ultimately sensible, and successful decision to chase at Saffron Walden as the hosts are left bottom of the pile. New boys Witham after a first week hiccup are taking to the longer format like ducks to water as they recorded a second win on the bounce when they defeated Bury. Swardeston back to the form with the bat were unable to bowl out Sudbury and had to share the points.

The Rams third string went down to local rivals Abington despite a half century from skipper Jake Ellis (53) and a forty from Gareth Everson. Naga Yanamendela added 20 not out to get the Rams to 167. Three wickets apiece for Harry Downey (3-25) and Jordan Lane (3-20) assisted by a tight eight over spell from Martin Little (1-11) made sure the total never got out of hand. In reply the home side assisted by an AP (57), for the second week running, made short work of the chase as opener Matthew Barton (60 no) and his AP partner made the visitors toil. Wickets for Sanish Gopalan (1-24), Sam Browne (1-14) and Ellis (1-20) proved too little too late as the home side got home in 33 overs.