The drought has officially ended for most anyway...

The game of the day saw the Rams face their closest rivals Horsford in a match that saw the top two in the EAPL clash. Sawston skipper Callum Guest, opted to use the same pitch as was used for the three-day NCCA game that finished on the Tuesday. The new deck that was due to be used suffering a bit more rain damage than the used one, during Cambridgeshire’s U-18 girls match which was eventually abandoned on Friday afternoon.

The Rams skipper won the toss and decided to bat. The opposition were soon on the attack when Jordan Neil had Wayne White caught low down at extra cover. Ethan Rice (19 from 20) was looking fluent when he chopped on, off Neil, to leave the Rams on thirty-three for two. Spinner Ryan Findlay was introduced and was soon finding some turn.  Findlay then produced a fuller ball that not only spun but bounced with Guest (14 from 41 balls) only able to edge to slip. It was soon obvious that bowling a fuller length posed more difficulties. Jack Beaumont dug in with Ben Claydon before he slapped a short delivery straight to Neil at midwicket to gift Findlay his second wicket. At sixty-five for four the Rams were in trouble. Lee Thomason then joined Claydon and they once again formed a useful partnership taking the Rams passed the hundred mark adding a vital forty-two runs (off 99 balls). This sensible no risk approach seemed to be the way on the still helpful wicket. Just when the Rams faithful thought the pair would see off the bowling to the lunch break Cameron Graveling (1-23) had Thomason (23 from 65) caught by keeper Charlie Hood.  This was an excellent reward for the visitors who had rushed through the overs to get an extra couple in just before the break. Youngster Alex James, who has been in good form for Cambridgeshire’s U-18 and Development sides, safely negotiated the remaining balls to take the Rams into the break at one hundred and seven for five (off 39 overs).

Most observers thought that although Horsford were in the box seat if the Rams famed long batting line up could eek out another seventy runs then it would be a good contest. Claydon, who after scores of fifty-three and one hundred and one not out on this deck for Cambridgeshire, moved to another half century soon after lunch  (from 82 balls).  He and James had moved the score onto one hundred and twenty-six when Neil (4-45) had James (13 from 28) caught hooking before trapping Clilverd leg before in the space of three balls at the end of the forty-third over. James Vandepeer then joined Claydon and the pair took the score north of one hundred and fifty as they added a crucial thirty-five runs (from 62 deliveries).  Vandepeer (11 from 26) was caught at slip from a fuller ball off Findlay. This partnership and the one that followed was important not only for the runs but for the overs it used up.  George Darlow then came to the crease and added another thirty-one runs (from 40 balls) to take the score to one hundred and ninety-two. Claydon (90 from 131 deliveries) with another ton in sight then became a fourth victim of Findlay (4-46). Claydon’s innings was an absolute master class with excellent and positive footwork, both back and forward, with great patience and taking advantage of any loose and in particular short deliveries. Darlow (10 from 25) followed three balls later when he chipped one back to Neil Hornbuckle (1-50).

The visitors were soon in, to a certain extent self-inflicted, trouble as the very dangerous Hornbuckle ran himself out before Jason Reynolds missed a full length one that hit the base of middle to leave the visitors five for two. An excellent pick up and bullet throw from Rice plus some handy glove work from Thomason accounted for Hornbuckle; and White opening up as a spin duo with Beaumont did for his opening partner. White (2-24) then enticed Neil into a loose stroke when he steered a slightly short wide one to Clilverd at point. I’m told the slightly extravagant celebrations were for Wayne’s kids watching on the stream! Hood, who has scored some impressive runs in the lower order this season was promoted to three in the absence of, the injured,  Ethan Metcalfe. He however was fourth out when he was caught at slip off Beaumont. When Bowman was caught behind off the same bowler the visitor’s reply was in tatters with half the side gone for just thirty-one. Youngster JC Maherbe hung around for a while before he was snaffled by a low catch by Darlow off his own bowling (1-14). Skipper Rogers and Ben Panter got Horsford to fifty (after twenty-three overs).  Roger’s opposite number Guest (1-11) entered the fray to end his resistance (25 from 60) to leave Horsford on fifty-eight for seven. Beaumont (5-16)  then picked up the last three (Findlay, Panter and Callum Metcalfe) as the innings closed just before tea for seventy! The contest was a bit of a curate’s egg with the sublime Claydon, some indifferent shots on both sides, some excellent deliveries, some great catching and fielding. Yes the wicket offered assistance, but you still needed to bowl the correct length, but was it a seventy all out wicket? I’m not sure!

The win and a double over their title rivals meant that they have opened up a thirty-five-point gap at the top.  Copdock won at Downham Stow to move ahead of Horsford, by one point, in to second. Sudbury found the winning formulae again to beat Frinton and move back into fourth place. There were draws between Bury and Witchingham and Witham and Swardeston. AB Wanderers gave themselves a potential lifeline when they defeated a depleted Mildenhall to halve the deficit at the bottom.

The seconds visited Upwood in a relegation battle, in the Oynx Premier, and were inserted on a damp wicket under a heavy sky. It was looking like one of those weeks, again, as the Rams lost their first four wickets for just twenty-eight. In fairness all four batters tried manfully to dig in; as Angus Pate (4-31) and Veer Mangat (3-45) picked up two apiece. Julius Jackson (45 from 63) and teenager Henry Cotton (29 from 91) then added a vital seventy-six runs to take the Rams into three figures. Cotton followed seventeen runs later as Johnny Du Plessis (2-40) picked up him and Jackson.  Darcy Murphy then marshalled the tail as his recorded his first Rams fifty. He managed to add a crucial forty-nine with the tail as Pate and Mangat and Vibhor Yadav (1-34) added wickets to close the innings on one hundred and seventy-two.

Murphy picked up two early wickets before Yadav (21 from 29) and Mangat (13 from 16) had staged a bit of a recovery. However, the home side then lost four wickets for just five runs as forty-four for two became forty-nine for six. Murphy picking another two (4-36) as Ed Ball also snared a brace (2-14). Despite a counter-attack  from Du Plessis (47 from 55) Upwood continued to lose wickets at the other end with Geo Varghese (2-33) and Miguel Machado (2-17) ensuring they could only get to one hundred and nineteen all out. The win meant that the Rams had doubled the side from Hunts.

The Rams third team suffered another heartbreaking defeat when they lost by one wicket with just ten balls to go. They had lost to league leaders Buntingford on the last ball of the game at Babraham. Buntingford had earlier won the toss and inserted the Rams. They were given a good start by Wes Potschul (30 from 36) and Joe Latham (21 from 21) as Dhrona anchored the innings. Momentum was lost in the middle of the innings as the middle and late order stuttered. However, Torin Phelps (51 no from 39) gave the innings fresh impetus. He and Dhrona added a useful forty-eight for the seventh wicket. Our thirteen-year-old opener went onto to make his first senior fifty. The innings closed on one hundred and ninety-six. The wickets were shared as Ebad (2-35) and Ricketts (2-34) led the way as Saif, Hassan, and Garner also made it onto the scoresheet.  In reply Hassan (44 from 40), Williams (24 from 47) and Coote (26 from 26) gave the home side a good start before skipper Jake Ellis (3-42), Lathan (2-45) and thirteen-year-old Etienne Lamb (2-19) struck back. The home side were indebted to Townsend (22 from 26) and Ebad (14 no from 27) as fourteen-year-old Vivaan Kilaru (2-31) took late wickets under pressure to take the league leaders to the brink. The Rams will probably need to win their last three if they are to gain promotion.

The fourth team got back to winning ways when they defeated second placed Cambourne. Adarshpal Brar (40 from 47) scored early runs but only Sean Gardiner (17) could give him any meaningful support. Youngster Zane Dennington, who has bowled excellently this season then hit his maiden fifty (in all cricket) when he scored sixty-two (from 70 balls) to lift the total to one hundred and seventy.  Khan (2-32), Rathakrishnan (2-32) and Sharma (2-19) all picked up braces.

In the visitors reply only Radhakrishnan (47 from 80) could make any significant progress against skipper Dom Cameron’s young attack. Teenagers Josh Coleman (2-14) plus a run -out, Arnav Wadekar (2-30) and Dennington (1-27) all excelled as Cameron (2-26) joined the party. There were also excellent, but wicketless, spells from Ben Latham and Alex Myles. The home side ran out winners by thirty-seven runs but Cambourne are still handily placed to go up.

On Sunday a mixed third and fourth team attempted to bring home the Junior Cup. They were unable to match last week’s runner up spot in the Walker Cup. Their only consolation is that they only lost to the eventual champions in both competitions. This week they restricted Cherry Hinton to an average one hundred and thirty-one in the second semi at March. Nauman (37) and Mufid (43 no) top scored. Zane Dennington (2-17)  led the way before the Ellis’; Gary (3-25) and Jake (2-27) weighed in.  In reply a few got starts but couldn’t capitalise before Charlie Borley, in at ten, top scored with sixteen not out as the Rams finished a distant thirty-nine adrift