Top two clash in EAPL
Week nine of the EAPL sees the Rams travelling to Sudbury in a clash at the top of the ladder. The reigning champions visit the second placed Suffolk side. There are just twelve points between the two teams.
The captains may need to be on top form as the small ground is a batsman’s paradise. So a captain may need to choose or gamble when, and if, to declare. A fully loaded sixty-four over total may discourage a chase; or a Captain taking the gamble may end up with egg on his face! In most scenarios as the Rams found out last year in the rain shortened match, it isn’t an easy place to bowl a side out; so the bowlers will need to be excellent and sometimes inventive to force a result.
The home side are, perhaps, on their best sustained run since they took back-to-back EAPL titles. Skipper Adam Jones has four EAPL centuries to his name this season; and there have been two apiece for Darren Batch and returning overseas Manelkar De Silva (in only four games) and one from Ned Overbury. Overbury and fellow recruit Freddie Cloud have been picked up from sides in the Two Counties league and supplement a fairly settled side from 2024. Their current form represents quite a turnaround from last year when they finished ninth.
As is usual in the first half of the season the Rams’ line up is greatly impacted by teaching commitments. This week George Darlow rotates with Wayne White coming in but the rest of the squad should be available. James Vandepeer will be keen to repeat his exploits with the bat from last season’s game at Friars Street. Ben Claydon, despite five hundred and fifty-two runs (@79) and being ahead of the usual leading run-scorer Sam Arthurton (515 @64) finds himself one hundred and forty adrift of current leader Adam Jones (692 @ 138). Skipper Callum Guest will be hoping that his skilful and varied attack can again find a way to restrict and / or bowl out the opposition.
Elsewhere in EAPL 25 third placed Horsford visit Norfolk rivals Swardeston. Downham Stow host Bury; Frinton meet AB Wanderers; Mildenhall face Gt. Witchingham; and finally Copdock are at home to Witham.
The second team have a home game against Old Leysians needing a win to re-ignite their season and give them a confidence boost after last week’s odd encounter. Young Alex James warmed up with sixty-six off just thirty-five balls as the Midweek side, without overseas Darcy Murphy (away watching the Aussies and the Saffers playing skittles!), won again to stay unbeaten. Skipper Dan Heath returns as does Julius Jackson but last week’s star with the ball, Ed Ball is absent. This clash pits the bottom two in the ONYX Premier against each other with both needing a win to ensure that the sides above don’t steal a march on them. The skipper will hope that the bowling at the Test Championship will inspire our Aussie, to even greater heights; he currently lays third in the standings just four wickets adrift of the leader.
The third team, still unbeaten, face last week’s opponents Ickleton with both sides hoping for a full game this week. The Rams are at home and will hope to make the most of that advantage. Skipper Jake Ellis welcomes back Ayra Saeb-Parsy back from university but has a number of senior players away.
The fourth team are our busiest side and face two very difficult away games. On Saturday they travel to Girton, who are the unbeaten leaders in Division Five south; and if that isn’t tough enough they visit Cambridge Tamil Sangam who are an unbeaten side in division Three North. With availabilities patchy in the more senior sides they have done remarkably well to get a side out at all on Saturday. On Sunday the skipper has a very youthful side out. So far this season the youngsters have stepped up and regardless of the results they will gain from the experience.