Rams resurgent as pink ball returns…..

Sawston and Babraham returned to pink ball action on Saturday when they took on Horsford. The Norfolk side came into the match in fifth but were one of the teams that have already had their week off, and were in a great position to push on to claim a top three finish. The win or lose format in the fifty over contests means that points and league position swings can be dramatic.

The Rams were desperate to get back to winning ways knowing that their reduced lead at the top meant that they couldn’t afford another slip up. With Luke Spears back again, after a difficult season with injuries, the Rams were further boosted by footballer Charlie Lewis’s FA Cup tie being played on Friday night. The good news continued as skipper, Dan Heath, won the toss and no one was surprised when he elected to bat.

The Norwich side boasted the league’s leading wicket taker Callum Metcalf and were also pleased to have the vastly experienced Chris Brown in the side. In the battle of the Callum’s at the top of the innings the home side opened up with the prolific Callum Guest and his, now, usual partner Peter Hatzoglou. The Australian departed in the sixth over when he snicked the other Metcalf, Ethan (1-49), to the keeper with the score on twenty-five. Spears joined his Cambridgeshire one day captain and they added eighty-eight runs (off 117 balls) before Spears was trapped LBW by Brown.

Horsford must have had a degree of optimism at the halfway point with the home side on just 113 for 2. Noah Thain then added a bright forty-four runs, before being caught in the outfield off Ryan Findley (2-70). He had helped Guest add sixty-seven (in 78 balls). Alex Stafford was next in and he lit the ‘blue touch paper’ as the Rams looked to accelerate as he added twenty-four in just fifteen balls, and a fifty-eight run partnership (in 29 balls), before he fell to Oscar Binny (1-26). The home side’s skipper Heath, was probably thinking that his side was still a few short as George Darlow was promoted. This experiment as they so often do faltered early as the experienced Brown (2-37) picked up his second LBW. Guest was then joined by his red ball opening partner Charlie Lewis (5) and they added thirty-one in just twenty balls before Lewis became Findlay;s second victim.

With just three overs to go the Sawston skipper joined his vice-captain for the final bit of mayhem as they added thirty four as Heath finished unbeaten on eleven (from 9) as the innings closed on 307 for 6. His exhausted partner finished on a red inker 136 (from 127 balls, and 198 minutes). He paced his innings superbly with the first fifty off 65 balls, then second from just 45 balls and the final thirty-six from just 17 balls. This was Guest’s second century of the season to add to five half centuries and takes him to almost 800 runs for the season, so far, with only Athurton and Valli ahead of him in the stats. The Rams hitting 110 from the final ten overs and 194 in the second half of their innings.

With the wicket offering little assistance and a rapid outfield the chase would not be beyond the Horsford side. The Rams struck early as Simon Chipperfield (25) was undone by Hatzoglou after scoring all the runs in a twenty-five run partnership with Jason Reynolds. Hatzoglou’s new opening bowling partner Alex Evans then chipped in by dismissing Ethan Metcalf just six runs later. Evans then picked up Reynolds (16) as the chased lurched to 57 for 3 in the eleventh. The visitors skipper Neil Hornbuckle (28) then added forty-nine with William Rogers in just 55 balls. He was dismissed by a beauty from Darlow (1-42). Rogers was then joined by Oscar Binny and at the halfway point the Norfolk side were twenty-three runs ahead of the Rams.

The Rogers-Binny partnership added forty-three runs in forty-one balls before Rogers (48 from 53) became another LBW victim to the Hatzoglou googly. William Bryan (4) stuck around to help Binny add twenty-one in 35 balls as the home side squeezed. He fell LBW to the Australian with a swipe across the line. Ryan Findlay (18 from 21) helped Binny to add forty-seven from just 44 balls. Findley was dismissed by Ben Clilverd. Clilverd (2-39) playing just as a bowler, despite his broken finger, then followed up by bowling Callum Metcalf just four runs later. Binny who was running out of partners then became Evans’ (3-49) third victim when he was caught by Darlow going for a big hit, he scored sixty (from 73 balls). The final pair of Archie Chipperfield (20 from 24) and Chris Brown (17 no from 15) then had a bit of fun adding forty-three (in 33 balls) before Chipperfield was stumped, by Heath, off Hatzoglou with the score on 265 in the final over. The Australian finishing with 4-39.

The Australian now has thirty-seven league wickets and is just behind Rajaguru and Hanby in the race to be the EAPL’s top wicket taker. Elsewhere there were wins for Mildenhall, Sudbury and Copdock as the top four all won to push their claims for at least a top three finish. There may be a few nervous glances over their shoulders as Great Witchingham continue to close and are now within striking distance of the top three in fifth. Saffron Walden fell back to the bottom but with Bury, who are in free-fall at the moment they are just one point ahead but having played one game more. No doubt relived to hear that there will be no relegation this year.

The Rams Third team maintained their promotion push as the sides around them faltered. Sawston and Babraham had a comfortable home win when beating Abington II’s by nine wickets. The home side won the toss and decided to bowl. Abington are having a difficult season and find themselves short on points and confidence at the bottom of Junior 2s. Mervin Shaji picked up two wickets with just one on the board and his opening partner Prashant Yadav (1-14, from 7 overs) another the innings stalled at fifteen for three. The Earl’s Oliver (28 from 56) and Samuel (38 from 61) then dug in and patiently staged a recovery before skipper Jake Ellis had the former stumped, by Jas Metson, with the score on sixty-seven. The pair adding fifty-two precious runs. Jon Windsor (1-11) and Ellis then picked up a wicket each as Samuel Earl’s defiance continued. Shaji then returned to dismiss Earl and Smith to finish with four wickets for four runs off six excellent overs. Ellis picked up his third (3-37) and youngster Sam Ronco another (1-25) as 100 for 6 became 103 all out.

The Rams openers found the pitch very benign as they raced to 86 before Gareth Everson (45 from 60) was run out. Fellow opener Wes Potschul continued his excellent season adding an unbeaten forty (from 70) balls as he and Joe Greenstock (8 no) saw the Rams home by nine wickets inside twenty-four overs. The Rams moved sixteen points clear in second spot as third placed NCI. They may need to be wary of Barley who have shot up the table in recent weeks are now fourth just 28 points behind.

Finally, the SBCC 2nd Team were able to field their strongest eleven after a difficult year to date with injuries and availabilities. They made the fifty plus mile journey north to play against Castor and Ailsworth. They had earlier defeated the Peterborough side at home denting their Castor promotion ambitions when they sat second in the table. The home side had struggled a bit of late and found themselves down to fourth in the table. They were venerable as they were missing three players on Saturday. SBCC won the toss and then proceeded to bat abjectly on a far from easy deck. Only Marc Pearson, with a third consecutive half century (52 from 74 balls) made it to double figures. The innings also featured a freak dismissal. Pearson was caught off a no ball, which meant not only that he survived but he also got a free hit on the next delivery. He smashed the ball back straight, the ball ricocheting of the bowler’s boots on to the other before smashing into the stumps at the bowlers end. The unlucky Callum McLean run out in the process! The Rams were bowled out for a paltry 106, about fifty shy of a competitive total.

The Rams briefly threatened as Chris Dixon (1-23) and debutant Matt Worsdale (1-16) picked up early wickets. Pearson then effected a run out leaving the hosts wobbling on forty-one for three. However, Bevis Stokie hit 35 before being bowled by Nick Griggs (1-15). The home side also survived ‘losing’ a couple of wickets on no balls. However, Conor Parnell (11 no) and Stuart Dockerill (18 no) then saw the hosts home. The duo enjoying their afternoon’s work as Parnell (6-32) supplemented Dockerill’s early burst (2-22) when bowling out the Rams. The Rams losing streak up to six games as Castor confirmed their six wicket win