The Rams back on track with two wins

With the two most senior Rams sides in action in the penultimate weekend of cricket both needed twenty-five points for contrasting reasons.  The firsts to get them the lions share of the thirty points required for them to, remarkably, clinch their fourth title in five years. For the seconds it was to keep them away from the automatic relegation spots.

Starting with the seconds and a drama packed match which had the home fans on the edge of their seats and the play-cricket observing first eleven cheering nervously from afar. St. Giles, the visitors to Spicers, won the toss and opted to field perhaps hoping that the Rams batting would implode once again. Early signs were not good as the home side lost four wickets (Choudhary, Cotton, Machado and returning skipper Heath) with only thirty-eight runs on the board. However, Julius Jackson, not for the first time this year, rescued the innings. He formed an excellent partnership with Darcy Murphy. They were content to sit in initially as drinks were reached at sixty-nine without any further loss. The pair moved to a half century stand (off 74 balls) before moving the total into three figures at the start of the thirty-first over. Murphy recorded his second fifty of the season (off 58 deliveries) before the partnership reached the same milestone (off 129 balls). Jackson went past fifty for the third time in the season (86 deliveries) and then the Rams reached one-fifty. With almost ten overs to go they were perhaps dreaming of a total north of two hundred and twenty-five. However, opposition skipper Sam Thain had other ideas as he removed Murphy (58 off 75) and Jackson (72 off 104) in the space of fifteen runs as the innings stalled on one hundred and seventy-one for six. The home fans were beginning to fear another Rams collapse and a one hundred and eighty target. However Joe Latham (10 from 17) stuck around with the tail before he became a fifth victim of Thain (5-23). The only cloud on the visitor’s horizon was the crawling over rate which would eventually cost them ten penalty runs as the interval was delayed. The innings closed on two hundred and eleven for nine; with Ashok Singh (3-31) and Matthew Doel (1-15) backing up their skipper.

The visitors were cruising as James Gillespie anchored the innings moving to fifty (off 92) and taking the Cambridge side to one hundred in the thirtieth. The only slight worry would have been that the required rate had moved northwards of five and a half; but with eight wickets in hand they were still the favourites. Ed Ball (1-47) however, struck some forty balls later to reduce the visitors to one hundred and thirty-three for three; the target was now just under a run a ball. When the other set batter Vansh Bajaj (39 from 67) was snared by Geo Varghese for his second victim (2-43) just eighteen runs and thirty-six balls later concerns would have grown but they still had their big hitting skipper to come. With the previously parsimonious  Murphy’s last over going for eleven  the visitors required  thirty-five from the last four; with Ball and Jackson bowled out the Rams’ hopes resided with Machado and Varghese.  Varghese, despite a four from his first delivery, got out of the over for just five runs. With three wides (1+2) and a six from Singh the tie swung back towards St. Giles until Machado had Singh (31 from 36) caught by Choudhary off the final ball of the over. The visitors needed twenty off the final two still with their skipper at the crease, and on strike, but crucially with a new batter at the other end.  Varghese’s fourth ball went for a Thain six and despite a dot to finish he conceded eleven runs. Machado was to bowl the final over with Thain on strike, the bowler held his nerve only conceding three runs off the first four balls and crucially getting the new bat facing; six to win with two balls to go. Miguel then dismissed Charles Bell with the fifth delivery. After a wide on the final ball meant a six would win it and a four would tie the scores. However the bowler held his nerve to dismiss Doel and pick up his fourth wicket (4-43) as the Rams held on for the win.

At the top of the Onyx a Ray Jordon inspired Eaton Socon demolished overnight leaders Burwell; they opened the door for Ramsey whose win at Upwood meant they are top. There was bad news for the Rams as the fading Walden were beaten by Rams’ relegation rivals Old Leysians. There was better news on the Sunday as Old Leysians were defeated by St. Giles in a very low scoring match in which the Leys Old Boys only picked up eight points. The Rams are now eighteen points ahead of Old Leysians, and crucially have two more wins so seven points from their final game will keep them from the automatic relegation positions!

The Rams visited the picturesque surroundings of Stow Hall for the first time  for a league match against Downham Stow. The home side in their first EAPL have equipped themselves well and their young side were comfortably in mid-table and had an impressive record at home. They won the toss and as a surprise to a few decided to bat. The Rams after two disappointing defeats and performances resorted to the proven tactics of opening with a mix of spin and seam. James Vandepeer (3-40) again bowling beautifully used the initially helpful conditions to his advantage; and he was being backed up by Jack Beaumont. He had William Denny, Freddy Fairey and Arthur Wilcox all back in the hutch with only thirty on the board. The home side with Ben Wilcox and Patrick Yates at the crease consolidated to get the home side to seventy-eight  at drinks. The home fans thinking that a score of around two hundred would be competitive. The hopes and expectations began to rise as the pair first went to a fifty stand (off 81 balls) before moving onto a hundred partnership (off 143 balls) . The second powerplay yielded one hundred and twenty-five for the loss of only one wicket. Wilcox had moved to a personal half century from seventy-one balls. With two set batsmen and ten overs to go the home fans were eyeing two-thirty to two-fifty. A three-wicket burst from Ethan Rice (3-37) to remove Yates (45 from 86), Olly Hooker and George Cook combined with some street-wise keeping and excellent glove work from Lee Thomason helped to restrict the scoring. When their overseas Sachindu Colombage was run out by an excellent throw from Nikhil Gorantla and Jack Beaumont had ended Wilcox’s stay at the crease the home side had lost five wickets for twenty-three in thirty-three balls (all of which I am claiming in a two-lap wicket walk). Ben Wilcox’s excellent ton came off one hundred and nineteen balls. Beaumont (3-28) followed up to dismiss Jack Stacey and Brett Stolworthy off of the last ball as the innings closed on one hundred and ninety-one.

Despite an early break-through when Arthur Wilcox (1-57) dismissed SBCC skipper Callum Guest with the score on eleven, the Rams were quickly into their stride and with Beaumont, initially, dominating the partnership he and Gorantla added fifty in just sixty-five balls; with the left-handed opener first to an individual fifty (from 49 balls). As Gorantla started to hit his straps the three figures came up in the twentieth over before the Surrey-man went to another half century (from 55 balls). The hundred stand came up shortly afterwards (from 108 deliveries) with the two of the leagues most potent wicket-takers Stolworthy and Colombage somewhat blunted. Gorantla (72 from 65) who had raced past his partner with some clean ball striking then feathered behind off Jamie Cook (1-36). A couple of overs later the former Copdock pairing of Beaumont and Ben Claydon took the Rams to drinks at one hundred and forty-two for two with just fifty required. The pair gave the home side no respite as they added another fifty partnership (from 47 balls) before they raced home with eighteen overs to spare; with Beaumont (79 from 89) and Claydon (30 from 29) both unbowed.

Elsewhere in the EAPL the continuing drama at the bottom of the table took another twist; and there was a very unusual result. The Sudbury and Horsford game was abandoned (unfit pitch) with the visitors gaining another win after a poor run. Bottom side, at the start of play, Frinton demolished Bury bowling them out for fifty-seven before knocking off for two. Swardeston won the Norfolk derby against Witchingham and Mildenhall recorded a Suffolk derby win at Copdock. Witham who were the form team in the division and chasing a top two finish succumbed, in a tight game, to AB Wanderers as they recorded a fourth win in five. Next week any one of the bottom fives sides can be faced with the relegation play-off game next Sunday. Mildenhall just need a handful of points to be safe. AB Wanderers in ninth (266 points), are eleven ahead of Frinton (255) who are three ahead of eleventh placed Witchingham (252) with Bury (251) just a point adrift. I think this is the first time in the season where Bury have been bottom.