Tough week of fixtures!

The Rams are looking to extend their magnificent run to twelve wins on the trot and to eighteen games since their last defeat. With respect to their opponents to date they perhaps face their biggest challenge of EAPL 25 to date. Bury St. Edmunds visit Spicers as one of only four unbeaten sides in the league so far,  having narrowly defeated AB Wanderers and coming away from Copdock with a massive, and confidence building win.

Last year the Rams enjoyed a comfortable win in the pink ball game, although Bury were weakened by a number of absentees on the day, but they were unable to wheedle out the last two batters at Bury and had to settle for a draw in the longer format. Like most sides the Suffolk outfit have strengthened with Ben Harris and Harry Gallian being recruited from Saffron Walden, and Thomas Davey from a local rival. They will have the experience of captain Josh Cantrell and long-term lieutenants Tom Rash and Ali Allchin. Justin Bishop also adds experience having spent most of 2024 in the second team or playing for England’s over forties. There will be a couple of Cambridgeshire lads at the top of the innings with Will Routledge and Alex Maynard likely to be opening up in contrasting styles.

The Rams make just one change for last week’s side with George Darlow, released from school duties, coming in for teenager Alex James. Two of the Rams new boys Henry Wilson and Tarun Mouli will no doubt be looking forward to the game having made their mark for the Rams for the first time. We can only hope the physios have worked their magic and will enable the skipper to make a personal contribution this week, having been a non-playing skipper last Saturday and missing Cambridgeshire’s successful season opener in Lincolnshire.  There will be pre-game fitness tests for Ethan Rice and Ben Claydon who as an emergency opening bowler bowled as many overs last week as he did in the entire 2024 season! Claydon will be keen to keep his excellent start with bat going.

With two of the four unbeaten sides meeting at Sawston and the other two facing tricky away ties there may be only one unbeaten side left in the 2025 EAPL come Saturday night, and we are only in week three! Downham Stow visit nine-times champions Swardeston, who need a win to get their season underway. Sudbury make the short trip to Suffolk rivals Copdock who will want to get back to winning ways. Sudbury, perhaps the surprise packet of EAPL 25, will be confident following impressive wins over perennial challengers Swardeston and Mildenhall. The other games see Witham travel to Witchingham and Horsford hosting AB Wanderers in a Norfolk derby.

The Rams second team jump out of the pan into the fire following a poor defeat last week. There is no time to lick their wounds as they make what is arguably their toughest trip to defending champions and 2025 pre-season favourites (and the other Rams) Ramsey. The home side. Ramsey have recorded two wins at home to Old Leysians and against one of their main rivals Histon.

The SBCC Rams and skipper Dan Heath will be buoyed by better availability this week. He has Alex James and Julius Jackson returning and Charlie Lewis making a seasonal debut now that football has finally finished.

The Rams third team get their league campaign underway following an impressive victory over local Senior league side Horseheath on Sunday. Skipper Jake Ellis has assembled an impressive squad for this year and immediately given himself a selection headache! This week he has Robbie Matthews and Ben Benson, two former 1st team Rams, returning to action after a couple of years away. He gives debuts to a couple of new recruits Lakmal Fernando and Nuwan Athukorala, from last year’s league winning side Bassingbourn. A couple of the Club’s promising youngsters also get opportunities as Dhrona Gopalan and Arnav Wadeker get an early chance to establish themselves. The evergreen Wes Potschul returns for another campaign with his career with the Rams stretching back further than the birth dates of our two youngsters(sorry Snipes)! The end of the football season also sees Ollie Humphreys, the new Midweek captain whose side gained a win in their first game under him, and Torin Phelps appear. Jake Ellis and Niall Barber both regulars last year complete the squad. Although skipper Ellis is quietly confident about the season ahead Saturday’s opposition The Chesterfords will provide a stern test. The side from the Essex border were relegated from senior league cricket last term.